Enhancing Participatory Governance and Accountability Year II Annual Report

The project aimed to enhance participatory governance and accountability in Rwanda, particularly in the agricultural sector. Trócaire Rwanda was the prime implementing partner, working with sub-recipients Rwanda Development Organisation (RDO), Commission Episcopale Justice et Paix (CEJP-Rwanda), and Union des Coopératives Agricoles Intégrées (UNICOOPAGI). The project's external environment was influenced by Rwanda's Strategic Plan for the Agricultural Sector (PSTA 4), launched in June 2018. PSTA 4 aimed to address present and future challenges in the agricultural sector, incorporating lessons from previous strategic plans. Trócaire contributed to the development of PSTA 4 and participated in MINAGRI's Sector Working Groups and the Governance Working Group initiated by USAID. Sustainable food security concerns, climate variability, and the importance of citizens' participation in agricultural policies and programs were underscored in various studies, including the World Food Program's Food Assessment and Vulnerability Assessment and the 2018 RGB Citizens' Score Card. Citizen participation in decentralization enables citizens to have a say in problem-solving, priority-setting, planning, and budgeting, and in asking for accountability from their leaders. The EPGA project sought to address the low citizen participation in Imihigo, a performance-based management tool introduced by the Government of Rwanda to strengthen strategic planning and management and improve service delivery in local governments. Trócaire participated in the validation and presentation of research findings on factors contributing to low citizen participation in Imihigo in Rwanda. The project's implementation focused on enhancing participatory governance and accountability in the agricultural sector. Trócaire worked with implementing partners to develop and implement strategies for improving citizen participation in Imihigo. The project also aimed to strengthen the capacity of local governments and citizens to participate in decision-making and planning processes. In Year 2, the project made significant progress in enhancing participatory governance and accountability in Rwanda. The project's quarterly progress against performance targets showed improvements in citizen participation, local government capacity, and agricultural sector development. The project's conclusion and recommendations highlighted the need for continued support to enhance participatory governance and accountability in Rwanda. The project's implementation was supported by various annexes, including federal financial reports, case studies, baseline survey reports, midterm evaluation reports, and training reports. These annexes provided detailed information on the project's progress, challenges, and lessons learned. Overall, the EPGA project in Rwanda aimed to enhance participatory governance and accountability in the agricultural sector, with a focus on improving citizen participation in Imihigo. The project's implementation made significant progress in Year 2, with improvements in citizen participation, local government capacity, and agricultural sector development.