Project partners convene in Kigali for Land Soil Crop Information Services Annual Meeting

Date: December 2, 2024    Author: Genevieve Apio (ASARECA)

Land Soil Crop Hubs (LSC Hubs) project partners gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, from 25-26 November 2024 for the Annual Project Meeting.

Participants

RWANDA: Key stakeholders from the Land Soil Crop Information Services (LSC Hubs) project gathered in Kigali for the Annual Project Meeting (APM), aimed at evaluating progress made in 2024 and plan for the project’s final year in 2025.

The meeting was hosted by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB). Project leads from Wageningen Center for Development Innovation (WCDI), ISRIC - World Soil Information, and Wageningen Environmental Research (WEnR), ILRI, ASARECA, CIFOR-ICRAF, IUCN and representatives from the National Agriculture Research Institutes from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda joined physically for two days of interactive discussions and strategic planning.

Project partners gathered in Kigali for the Annual Project Meeting

The Land, Soil and Crop Information Services (LSC-IS) to support Climate-Smart Agriculture (DeSIRA) is funded by the European Union through its DeSIRA program and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a contribution from ISRIC-World Soil Information.

Opening remarks

Dr. Florence Uwamahoro, Deputy Director General of RAB, delivered the opening remarks, emphasising the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing across countries.

Florence Uwamahoro (RAB) delivering the opening speech.

“We need to have climate-smart technologies that address the impacts of climate change so that we are able to feed the growing population,” she said. She also highlighted RAB’s efforts to integrate digital agriculture platforms to support the sector’s transformation in Rwanda.

Setting the agenda

Dr. André Kooiman, Senior Sustainable Land Management Expert at ISRIC and LSC Hubs Project Coordinator, outlined the meeting agenda, focusing on key topics for discussion and expected outcomes.

Key objectives and outcomes include:

  1. Review 2024 progress and address challenges, including insights from the Mid-Term Review (MTR) and Result-Oriented Monitoring (ROM).

  2. Develop the 2025 workplan with priorities on:

    • Sustainability and scaling inclusive pathways.
    • Communication and outreach.
    • Synergies with related initiatives.
  3. Enhance collaboration and knowledge exchange among partners.

  4. Review finances and define a sustainability strategy for LSC Hubs

André Kooiman setting up the agenda and objectives of the meeting.

Dr. Kooiman also underlined the significance of the Participatory Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (PMEAL) framework, which would guide the discussions on scaling solutions, embedding sustainability, and fostering synergies with related initiatives.

In his remarks, Dr. Kooiman highlighted the LSC Hubs’ progress in consolidating fragmented information into accessible platforms, enabling local stakeholders to make data-driven decisions. He emphasised that the meeting’s outcomes would help shape the final year of the project.

Connecting projects for sustainability

Dr. John Recha, Scientist in Climate Smart Agriculture at ILRI, followed with a presentation on how the LSC Hubs project had been successfully linked to other initiatives, including AICCRA and the Kenya Landscape Actors Platform. He showcased how this integrative approach had enhanced the project’s visibility among diverse stakeholder groups.

John Recha presenting during the meeting.

Dr. Recha emphasised that these collaborations provided a model for sustainability, ensuring that the benefits of the LSC Hubs project could continue to influence agricultural practices even after the project concludes.

These insights set the tone for the meeting, highlighting the interconnected efforts necessary to achieve the shared goal of sustainable, climate-smart agriculture. Work package leads (WP2, WP3, WP5) presented their updates, challenges faced in implementation, and plans for 2025

Pascal Debons (WCDI) presenting during a working session.

Participants during the meeting.

Participants during the working session.

Moving forward

The event highlighted the crucial role of partnerships in achieving the LSC Hubs’ mission to support agricultural innovation through robust soil, land, and crop information systems. As the project enters its final year, participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing sustainability, scaling impactful solutions, and ensuring the success of the LSC Hubs initiative. With a renewed focus on embedding sustainability, fostering inclusivity, and amplifying synergies, the LSC Hubs project is poised to leave a lasting legacy in agricultural research and development across East Africa.

Participants during the working session.

View more images from the project meeting on Flickr

Share