After study on a national trade policy to address challenges especially those posed by the climate, the East African Civil Society Forum (EACSOF) under PACT project drafted a post proposal on climate change and trade that will be submitted to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and support adaptation of anew National Trade Policy.
After study on a national trade policy to address challenges especially those posed by the climate, the East African Civil Society Forum (EACSOF) under PACT project drafted a post proposal on climate change and trade that will be submitted to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and support adaptation of anew National Trade Policy.
The amalgamation of civil societies during the meeting held on 27th February 2014 at Five to Five Hotel opened by the EACSOF President, Aiamble Mwnanawe while in his opening remarks recommended the participants to ideally brainstorm deeply as fact to represent the citizens interest before changes to this trade policy, “I am glad that all civil societies have participated, including consultants, expertise in such fields, thus more productivity is going to be achieved in this conference” he said.
The policy will also be aimed at promoting sustainable agro-business to avoid food insecurity which the experts foresighted to be a serious issue in the future when not early strategically resolved.
The MINICOM representative, Peace Ruremara, director of external trade acknowledged that when civil societies are merged together they impact positively to citizens interest since the majority of them are their beneficiaries,
“it’s clear that organizations are all service providers thus have to intervene in pledging of such policies that needs more studies and fortunately represents citizens as well” Said Ruremera.
She also added that the current National trade policy doesn’t show clearly linkages of Climate change and trade, thus recommended the EACSOF to work on an effective draft proposal on climate change policy.
This review started by the government which still under process, to address climate change challenges in the offing that which was discussed in the release of this study in March 2014 while entitled; “Climate, Food, Trade; Where is the Policy Nexus?”
According to the study by CUTS International, a Geneva-based firm and East Africa Community Civil Platform, attributed that lack of a policy that looks at the relationship between climate, food security and trade exposes the country to food insecurity which Rwanda may face if not policed to save trade and food security as well.
Regarding to some experts, John Bosco Kanyangoga, a consultant on trade policy and one of the authors of the report, said that increased use of inorganic fertilizers, chemicals, infrastructure development had greatly and rapidly increased the green house emissions.
“In fact the country is affected by low crop productivity, food insecurity and more crop diseases as well as floods are affecting the production which will definitely result into reliant on the imports because already Rwanda’s food production for major crops have dropped marginally in past seasons” he said.
According to Prudence Sebahizi, the co-ordinator of the East African Community civil platform, said as civil societies will have to draft their proposal and which will regarded while finalizing the change on national trade policy “it’s crucial that Rwanda makes holistic policies that integrate trade, climate and food security” Seabahizi noted.
In his closing remarks, Sebahizi urged the civil societies to make follow up on this draft after finalizing it by this Friday of next week, which have to be shared to all authorities not only MINICOM but its partners.
According Tenge Ngoga, an expert in food security at RAB, attributed that under such drafts have to be more constructive and general interest focused in all sectors;
He also acknowledged on the issue raised during the discussion which concerned on loans which are not given to poor groups cooperatives and this had been highlighted as the issue that also affect the development in trade.