RWANDA MINISTER SAYS ABU DHABI AI SYSTEM BOOSTS GLOBAL COOPERATION

ABU DHABI: Paula Ingabire, Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Rwanda, stated that Abu Dhabi’s launch of the AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development highlights the importance of cooperation across borders and sectors. By Muhammad Irfan

She explained that the climate challenges affecting farmers in Rwanda, including inconsistent rainfall, mirror those in the region linked to heat stress and limited water resources, underscoring the common need for precise data, resilient practices and prompt, effective assistance.

During the launch event, she underscored her country’s commitment to adopting artificial intelligence as a key tool for modernising agriculture and promoting market-focused, environmentally sound food systems. She added that Rwanda has achieved notable progress in preparing an enabling environment for wide-scale technological deployment.

Ingabire explained that in recent years Rwanda has consolidated farmland, expanded irrigation networks, developed terracing and strengthened research, extension services and investment in post-harvest management and agri-processing. These measures, she said, have helped build a structured, data-rich environment that supports the effective, large-scale operation of AI systems.

The minister said Rwanda has further invested in developing an enabling environment that supports the transition of artificial intelligence from early-stage ideas and pilot initiatives to practical, measurable outcomes. She highlighted the establishment of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, under the World Economic Forum network, and noted that the UAE hosts a comparable centre within the same network.

She stated that the centre functions as a platform for piloting and expanding responsible AI solutions, such as the AI Scaling Centre funded by the Gates Foundation. It additionally develops data-governance frameworks, regulatory sandboxes and skills-building initiatives that bring policymakers, researchers and farmers into a shared innovation pathway.

Ingabire noted that Rwanda is establishing the Food Innovation Centre, a specialised platform intended to bolster its status as a food-systems innovation hub by 2035. The platform will streamline the alignment of policies, regulations and investments when a solution succeeds, supporting expansion at the national level.