Humidtropics’ Integrated Approach improves rural livelihood in Northwestern Rwanda Cyamweshi RA1, Njukwe E2, Okafor C2, Mukuralinda A3, Kagabo MD5, Nabahungu NL2, Ndoli N.10, Musana S.B1,9, Ekesa B4, Ndayisaba PC1, Kantengwa S2, Harahagazwe D6, Schut M2 Introduction Many development approaches are component-based often missing the opportunity to improve the systems synergies and thus yielding unsatisfactory impact on rural livelihood. Humidtropics, a CGIAR research program, aimed to improve overall systems productivity by testing an innovative crop-livestock-trees integrated systems approach that also considered market and policy as important drivers of change. The integrated approach sought to address problems in the main Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production region in Northwestern Rwanda that are characterized by soil degradation with consequently low productivity, high level of poverty and malnutrition. 1Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), P.O. Box 5016, Kigali, Rwanda 2International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria 3World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), P.O. Box 227, Huye, Rwanda 4Bioversity International, Plot 106, Katalima Road, P.O. Box 24384, Kampala, Uganda 5International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), P.O. Box 1269, Kacyiru - Kigali, Rwanda 6International Potato Center (CIP), Nairobi, Kenya 9University of Rwanda (UR) 10Wageningen University (WUR) 2. Introduction of cows to improve soil fertility, income and nutrition Introduction of 20 pregnant cows gave birth to 16 calves totaling 36 cows after 6 months and have improved soil fertility and nutrition (over 80 ltr/day of milk at household level) (Fig. 3). One of the IP members Mrs. Christine Uzabakiriho bought a goat from income raised from milk sales. This is one example among several others Materials and Methods The study area was in Kadahenda cell, Karago sector, Nyabihu district in the humid highlands Rwanda (Fig. 1).   Acknowledgements The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), R4D & IP members acknowledge the financial and technical support from FARA and Humidtropics program partners. We would like to acknowledge Humidtropics, RTB and the CGIAR Fund Donors (http://www.cgiar.org/about-us/governing-2010-june-2016/cgiar-fund/fund-donors-2/) for their provision of core funding without which this research could not have been possible. Fig 3. Introduced cows produced milk for home consumption and the market Fig 1. Location of Kadahenda field site Contributing CGIAR centres and other partners: 3. Enhancing capacity and innovation Increasing collaboration between IP actors in Kadahenda allowed farmers to access collective potato seed storage facilities (DLS). Capacity building of IP members was organized and several partnership agreements and MoU signed between the IP and R4D members, SACCO and the local administration (Fig. 4). Innovation platform (IP) and Research for Development (R4D) platform were initiated comprising CGIAR centers, NARS, NGOs, private sector, farmers and policymakers. Agroforestry, mineral fertilizers and seed storage techniques were tested on potato. Cows were introduced in the potato-tree system Farmers were trained and field visits organized Results and discussion Improvement of systems productivity Combination of 300kg ha-1 of NPK (17-17-17) with manure increased potato yield by 148% and 18% over NPK alone. This yield gain enabled farmers to organize themselves into a cooperative, construct a warehouse and engage with micro-finance institutions for savings and access to inputs. Utilization of quality seeds increased potato yield by 78% over local variety and more than 5 times for commercial tubers (Fig. 2a), while reducing disease incidence by a factor of 10 (Fig. 2b). Fig 4. Training of IP members (a) and potato seed storage constructed at Kadahenda (b) Conclusions and recommendations Integrated systems approach increased income and is being considered for incorporation in national policies. From results obtained and feedback from farmers, this approach is an appropriate mechanism for addressing complex challenges associated with agricultural production and productivity to improve livelihood. Bibliography Schut, M., D. Lamers, M. Sartas, C. Okafor, C. Hicintuka, S. Mapatano, D. Kagabo, P. van Asten and B. Vanlauwe, 2016. Multi-stakeholder processes in Central Africa: Successes, struggles and lessons learned. Developed under the CGIAR Research Program on Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics (Humidtropics) by Wageningen University (WUR) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), April 2016. More information For more information, please contact Mr. Athanase Cyamweshi Rusanganwa of RAB (rusacyamweshi@gmail.com). Fig 2. Potato yield for improved vs local varieties (a) and diseases incidences (b)