KUNGAHARA is a collaborative initiative between CARE Austria, CARE International in Rwanda, and DUHARANIRE AMAJYAMBERE Y’ICYARO (DUHAMIC-ADRI). Funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation, KUNGAHARA will run from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026. The project aims to strengthen resilient food systems and enhance nutrition security in Rwanda in the target districts of Gicumbi, Rulindo, and Gakenke.
CARE Rwanda commissioned a baseline assessment to provide a benchmark for measuring the project's impact and changes over time. The study utilized a mixed methods approach combining primary and secondary data. Secondary data entailed review of the project proposal, log frame and publications related to food security and nutrition in the target areas. Primary data was collected through quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 463 respondents were interviewed through a quantitative survey and 9 focus groups conducted across Gakenke, Gicumbi, and Rulindo districts.
Summary of Findings
Key findings from the study are summarized below focusing on the baseline objectives:
Objective 1: This objective aimed to find out the consumption levels of diverse and nutrient rich foods by vulnerable households, in particular women and children, in Gicumbi, Rulindo and Gakenke districts.
To respond to this objective, the baseline assessed the Food Consumption Score (FCS) which considers not only dietary diversity and food frequency but also the relative nutritional importance of different food groups. The average Food Consumption Score across all categories was 15.2 which is below the acceptable score of between 35.5 and 112. The FCS was higher for male headed households (15.7) compared to female headed households (13.9) and the elderly (above 46 years) were found to be vulnerable with a score of 12.7. Gakenke and Rulindo districts recorded higher average scores of 18.1 and 17.8 compared to Gicumbi (9.6). The food consumption scores in the three districts fall below the national scores which show that 25% of Rwanda’s population has poor or borderline dietary diversity (Rockefeller Foundation report 20211) and confirm relevance of the Kungahara project. FCS scores were seen to be influenced by availability of foods, with those that were highly consumed being staples (cereals, grains, roots and tubers) whose main source was own production. Reliance on purchase as a source of food limited consumption of milk and other dairy products.