Action pour la Protection de l’Environnement et la Promotion des Filières Agricoles (APEFA), in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), is implementing the project “Five Fruit Trees per Household and Youth-Led Orchards Across 5 Districts of Western Rwanda – Rooted for Health, for a Greener Tomorrow.”
The project aims to enhance food security, improve household nutrition, and promote sustainable livelihoods in Western Rwanda by supplying, delivering, and planting 200,000 high-quality fruit tree seedlings. Of these, 160,000 seedlings (80%) will be distributed to 32,000 households, while the remaining 40,000 seedlings (20%) will be planted in schools, health centers, Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers, and youth-led model orchards.
This effort builds directly on the “Five Fruit Trees per Household and Youth-Centered Model Fruit Orchard Initiative” of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) in collaboration with APEFA, reinforcing Rwanda’s national strategy to promote fruit tree cultivation for improved nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental resilience.
The project is currently in its first quarter of implementation. Five tree nurseries have been established across the target districts to support seedling production. Vegetative propagation activities include grafting avocado, mango, and citrus, while other fruit species such as guava, jackfruit, and passion fruit are being nurtured in preparation for the upcoming planting season.
At the same time, the identification and registration of 32,000 beneficiary households is ongoing, alongside the selection of orchard sites for schools, health centers, and ECDs. These institutional orchards will serve as nutrition and learning hubs, promoting fruit consumption among children and communities while providing long-term livelihood opportunities.
To ensure community readiness and strengthen ownership, APEFA has launched mobilization and awareness campaigns across the intervention areas. These campaigns inform, engage, and empower communities on the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of fruit tree cultivation, while building commitment for proper care and long-term maintenance.
Through this partnership, GAIN and APEFA are working to make Western Rwanda a model of nutrition-sensitive agriculture, where fruit trees contribute to healthier diets, stronger livelihoods, youth empowerment, and a greener, more resilient future.
