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A green revolution for Rwanda? The political economy of poverty and agrarian change

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  • Ansoms, An

Abstract

The World Development Report 2008 highlights the need for a green revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper reflects upon the visions and ambitions of Rwandan policy makers to make this happen. It first analyses the political economy of Rwanda in a historical perspective. It outlines how political evolutions and events – with special reference to 1994 – have brought to power a political élite whose identity (both ethnic and spatial) differs profoundly from that of the overall majority. The main part of the paper links the identity of the current political élite to its vision and ambitions to create and foster a “green revolution” in Rwanda. Based upon interviews conducted by the author in mid-2007, the paper illustrates the strong ambitions of national policy makers to re-engineer the traditional agricultural sector into a modernized vehicle for economic growth, with little place left for traditional smallholder agriculture. The paper points to the flaws and shortcomings in this strategy. In the final part, it draws conclusions from the Rwandan case to feed the wider debate on how political economy dynamics shape the chances for a successful green revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Ansoms, An, 2008. "A green revolution for Rwanda? The political economy of poverty and agrarian change," IOB Discussion Papers 2008.06, Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB).
    • Handle: RePEc:iob:dpaper:2008006
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    File URL: https://medialibrary.uantwerpen.be/oldcontent/container2143/files/Publications/DP/2008/06-Ansoms.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Weatherspoon Dave D. & Miller Steven R. & Niyitanga Fidele & Weatherspoon Lorraine J. & Oehmke James F., 2021. "Rwanda’s Commercialization of Smallholder Agriculture: Implications for Rural Food Production and Household Food Choices," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 51-62, May.
    2. Pauline E. Peters, 2015. "Analysing Land Law Reform," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(1), pages 167-193, January.
    3. Tugrul Temel, 2013. "Family Size, Human Capital And Growth: Structural Path Analysis Of Rwanda," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 38(4), pages 39-73, December.
    4. Temel, Tugrul, 2011. "Family planning, growth and income distribution in Rwanda: SAM multiplier and graph-theoretic path analysis," MPRA Paper 31394, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Susan Johnson & Richard Williams, 2016. "The political economy of financial inclusion: tailoring donor policy to fit," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 34(5), pages 721-743, September.

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