Rwanda: The new 'Benchmark'

My current assignment is a Rwandan food policy assignment. am in the business with my two other colleagues to articulate a food security strategic plan for the Rwandan standards bureau and i will tell you, it is quite a great honour to be the think tank behind such a macro economic initiative. I would not wish to brag but all i wish is to share my experience on what forms part of this great nation. I must say, Rwanda is a great place to go, and if my boss so wishes, i will not mind accompanying him, even if it means i will play the bodyguard.

The Rwandan landscape is hilly and they experience two dry seasons with tropical rainfall averaging 1400 mm per annum. These people grow kidney beans, maize, sorghum, millet, and rice. as a matter of fact, the cash crops are not within their priority but a few of them plant coffee, tea and sugar cane. it is also worthy noting that the Rwandan people haven't embraced commercial agriculture as a result of their small acreage of land. they rare mostly goats and cattle with 12% of the population keeping pigs and 9% keeping sheep.

Looking at their social structure, you will realize, that it is still defined by the horrendous genocide that descended on the land in 1994. most households are headed by female, most of who are in their early forties. only 2% of the Rwandan people are above sixty years but a majority are in the ages between 5 to 24 years. the heads of the households are not literate and speak French.

Basing on the above statistics, the Rwandan government has embarked on the service sector to sustain its economy given, their natural resources cannot be able to sustain the regional competition from nations like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The ICT, toursim, banking, health and other service industries are booming and this has made many multi nationals including hotel chains and beverage companies like coca cola to set foot here.

Looking at this statistics, you will realize that there's no reason that Rwanda has to be the fastest growing economy in east Africa that Kenya does not have. As we speak, our policy environment is a benchmark in the region, and our natural resources if that can qualify to be a competitive advantage is already a leverage. we have adopted a constitution that is rare yet highly coveted among African states, Our education system is the best education all over Africa. We are also strategically positioned on the east coast of Africa and most multi nationals prefer setting foot in Africa through Kenya.

The Masai Mara is the greatest national park in the continent, and our private sector is also among the best around this continent. Rwanda is doing good, and we ought to do better because that is our pedigree, and that is our inheritance, for Kenya is a great nation. just look around, Nairobi is among the most beautiful cities around Africa and i must say that is something to be proud of given that we have not been producing oil. Now we have oil, we have rear earth in Kwale county, and a water reservoir that can quench our thirsty for 70 years. we also have vast tracks of land and so many natural endowments. Come on Kenya, think about that and stop the hullabaloo, lets get to work and refuse to be pulled back by retrogressive politics.