We are thrilled to welcome you to the official online space for Action for Sustainable Health and Agriculture (ASHA)! Established in May 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda, ASHA is committed to advancing sustainable development by strengthening the evidence base in the crucial health and agriculture sectors.
Through strategic programs and partnerships, we build on existing national initiatives to drive impactful, data-informed solutions that support Rwanda’s development goals and look beyond its borders.
Our Vision and Mission
At the heart of ASHA is a powerful vision guiding our work:
- Vision: A health community with sustainable agriculture through innovative technologies.
- Mission: Advocate for a better health and sustainable agriculture in Rwanda and beyond through embracing big data, ICT, and systems strengthening enablers.
We believe that by focusing on these technology-driven enablers, we can address complex challenges and create lasting, positive change.
Our Core Areas of Action
ASHA’s activities are organized around three interlocking pillars, Health, and ICT & Big Data to create a holistic approach to sustainable development.
1. Agriculture
Our agriculture programs are designed to address the full spectrum of the food system, from the ground up to the global market:
- Food and Nutrition: We tackle the core elements of food security accessibility, availability, stability, and utilization. We run targeted interventions like school feeding programs and provide nutrition support for vulnerable groups, including refugees and prisoners.
- Seed Security & Biodiversity: We recognize that the right to seeds is linked to the right to food. Our focus includes critical issues like Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), intellectual property rights, and biosafety regulations. We actively support government policy development on Biosafety and Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Laws.
- Trade Market Linkage and Access: We work to link farmer produce with traders by utilizing Market and Trade Information Systems (MTIS). Our goal is to promote a free flow of commodities and strengthen the role of farmer cooperatives and private collection centers.
- Post-Harvest Handling & Aggregation: Up to 30% of produce is lost post-harvest in Rwanda. We aim to reduce this through developing adequate capacities, technology (like industrial shelling and drying), and infrastructure, aligning with the National Post-Harvest Strategy.
- Increase Production for Export: We address production bottlenecks by improving market information, promoting out-grower schemes, and strengthening contract enforcement to make value chains more efficient and competitive on the international stage.
2. Health
Our health initiatives are dedicated to strengthening public health systems and leveraging data for better clinical decisions and preparedness:
- Non-Communicable and Preventable Diseases (NCDs): We focus on addressing the data gap, and carrying out advocacy and awareness of existing policies and strategies regarding NCDs and prevention.
- Laboratory Medicine: Recognizing that laboratory results are a component in 70% of clinical decisions, we advocate to strengthen public health laboratory systems to help contain emergencies and respond effectively to disease outbreaks.
- One Health: We promote a multi-disciplinary approach to health risks at the animal-human-ecosystems interface. Our work includes public awareness on the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry and agriculture, as well as developing capacity for surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance.
3. ICT and Big Data for Development
Underpinning both our health and agriculture work is a commitment to technology as an enabler for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2 & 3):
- We are establishing a unique digital platform to provide timely, accurate, and reliable information to all stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
- We aim to connect rural communities (especially youth and women) to economic opportunities through the access and utilization of ICT to advance socio-economic empowerment.
A Word from Our Leadership
The agricultural and health sectors are of critical importance for Rwanda’s economic development, poverty reduction, and nutritional security. As our Legal Representative notes, despite tremendous transformation in the last two decades, challenges persist from soil erosion and water pollution to inaccessible health services and low utilization of ICT.
“ASHA plans to join other stakeholders to address these challenges through use of innovational technologies and ICT. The organization will focus on possible root causes and cofounding factors and potential remedial actions will be a unique opportunity to address these challenges over a long-term period.”
We are committed to joining partners in addressing these challenges with a long-term, focused approach.