Rwanda has made significant strides in food security, with 83% of its population now considered food secure, up from 79.2%, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) announced Thursday.
The announcement came during a press briefing on preparations for World Food Day, which Rwanda will celebrate on October 24, 2025.
While the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) observes the day globally on October 16, each country sets its own local celebration date.
State Minister in MINAGRI, Dr. Ndabamenye Telesphore, attributed the improvement to government measures promoting agriculture, including irrigation, expanded land cultivation, and public campaigns encouraging citizens to maintain balanced diets.
“We have implemented strong agriculture and livestock development programs, and the government has allocated budgets to ensure citizens have access to sufficient food,” Dr. Ndabamenye said. He added that Rwanda’s efforts to recover from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have also helped increase food availability.
According to Dr. Ndabamenye, the share of citizens facing severe food shortages has fallen: “Those experiencing small or insufficient portions decreased from 2% to 1%, while the percentage of people eating only one meal a day dropped from 19% to 16%.”
Dr. Mukantwali Christine, head of the Nutrition Department at FAO Rwanda, emphasized the importance of understanding what it means to be food secure. She said a balanced diet should include at least 12 types of food, such as cereals, root crops, vitamin-rich vegetables and fruits, meat, fish, milk, and water.
“Daily meals should contain cereals and meat, with moderate amounts of fats,” Dr. Mukantwali noted. “Currently, only 5% of Rwandan households regularly have access to meat, fish, and milk in a week, while 95% do not.”
This year’s World Food Day theme is: “Working Together to Ensure Sufficient Food for a Better Future.” MINAGRI highlighted Nyamagabe District as the area most behind in food security and the host of this year’s celebrations.
In the lead-up to the event, the ministry is encouraging farmers to improve cultivation practices to ensure adequate production for local markets. The celebration will also promote the planting of fruit trees, targeting primary and secondary school students to cultivate sustainable habits.
Short-cycle livestock, including chickens, pigs, and rabbits, will be distributed to households to help citizens access essential nutrients more easily.
Globally, FAO reports that over 700 million people do not have sufficient food, with 240 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
