Rwanda agricultural sector contributes to the GDP for about 46% in real terms (2001), and counts for 87% of employments and for 80% of exports. Agriculture is the main national source of foreign currency and survival for the population. Being aware of the importance of agriculture in the national economy and of its necessity to ensure food and nutrition security to the whole population, the Government has started to formulate her policy and strategies in order to contribute to the achievement of food security for her population and to boost the Country’s economy.
 
Agricultural policy must be coherent with other policies relative to rural development. Itis also in line with major development orientations as outlined in:

• The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), whose objectives include restoration of agricultural growth, rural development and food security. It focuses mainly on implementation of key recommendations on food security, poverty reduction and sustainable use of natural resources adopted in recent international conferences, such as the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development, the World Food Summit, 5 years later and the recent Maputo Declaration of July 2003;
• Development objectives for the millennium in which reduction of hunger and poverty are among priorities;
• ect..........

Rwanda cannot meet the food needs for her population with the mere national production. In fact, taking into consideration of daily needs for one person (2,100 Kcal, 59g of proteins and 40g of lipids), satisfaction rate is only 83%, 73% and 17.5% respectively in 2001. This data is an indication of alarming situation in lipid consumptions where deficit has become recurring since many years. Imports of food and food aids partially satisfied food needs for about 25.5% and 6.5% of the total needs required in 2001, hence contributing significantly to food supply.
 
Strengthening research and extension of research findings as well as promotion of any mechanism in sensitising the rural are of paramount importance. This will ensure the development of the sector by giving particular attention to new technologies and by ensuring most adequate means for their diffusion and uptake by the rural people. The basic principle for actors lies in their participation, which must allow all stakeholders to be both partners and associates, based on the real needs of the rural world. Extension will allow farmers to receive training and information on a regular basis in order to help them improve their production systems.