The Agriculture Minister, Dr Agnes Kalibata, was yesterday announced winner of the 2012 Yara Prize Award for her efforts towards ensuring food security in Rwanda.
In the announcement that was made from the Norwegian capital Oslo, Kalibata was awarded alongside Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, the outgoing CEO of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX).
According to a statement from Yara International, both leaders demonstrated how transformative change can be achieved in a complex and challenging environment.
"They have applied innovative approaches, collaborating with partners in new ways. Their achievements are fit to inspire other countries to transform the productivity and sustainability of their agricultural sectors," it reads.
The president and chairman of the Yara Prize committee, Jørgen Ole Haslestad, commended the winners for the substantial work they demonstrated in fighting food insecurity, not only in their countries but also on the continent.
"Yara creates impact by addressing global challenges. By awarding the Prize, we salute the champions of sustainable agricultural development. I wish to extend my personal congratulations to the laureates," Haslestad said.
"This is the exact kind of development needed to promote in the Grow Africa Initiative, co-chaired by Yara alongside NEPAD and the African Union".
The Yara Prize is based on nominations of candidates who are carefully evaluated by the Yara Prize Committee.
The prize consists of $60,000, which will be split between the laureates, a crystal trophy and a diploma.
"Dr. Agnes Kalibata is being awarded the prize for her great leadership in the transformation of food security and agricultural development in Rwanda in a relatively short period of time", continues the statement.
Rwanda has moved from having a food deficit to being a country that is largely food self-sufficient. Over 1 million Rwandans moved out of poverty between 2005 and 2011.
The committee agreed that Kalibata had been able to align national agricultural policies with the NEPAD/CAADP frameworks citing the commitment to increase government budget share for agriculture to 10 percent, and Rwanda was the first country to adopt a Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) compact.
In an interview with The New Times, the minister welcomed the prize attributing it to the good government policies that were initiated to ensure and promote food security in the country.
"Besides setting the stage in Rwanda and getting Rwandans to be food secure, we have also led in continental efforts. Our participation in CAADP and the lead we provided as a country at the continental level, and we are also leading in GrowAfrica initiative that is looking to link farmers to agro industries," she said
She added that the country has been among the few that make efforts to commit 10 per cent of the national budget to the agriculture sector as per Maputo Declaration.
Kalibata said that government policies, like embarking on crop intensification programmes to increase productivity, terracing programmes, One-cow-per-family as well creating market links to farmers, played a significant role in fighting food insecurity.
The laureates will receive their awards on September 27 in Arusha, Tanzania.
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