RWANDAS SELF SUFFICIENCY JOURNEY ANALYSIS OF ACHIEVEMENTS, CHALLENGES, AND WAY-FORWARD IN THE CONTEXT OF SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Keywords:
Rwanda, Socioeconomic Self-Sufficiency, Sub-Saharan Africa, Dependency Syndrome, National Development, Aid Dependency, Developmentalism, Post-DevelopmentalismAbstract
This paper presents an in-depth analysis of Rwanda's journey towards socioeconomic self-sufficiency. By exploring a variety of economic initiatives at both community household and national levels, the study highlights Rwanda's strategies in combating the dependency syndrome prevalent in many sub-Saharan African countries since independence. The research examines the extent of Rwanda's progression towards self-sufficiency, its relevance in current global socioeconomic dynamics, and the challenges and achievements encountered in this pursuit. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data analysis, along with group discussions, the paper reveals Rwanda's intermediate but rapidly improving position in self-sufficiency. Significant advancements are noted in individual and community-level self-reliance, especially in sectors like agriculture and ICT. However, challenges persist in areas like trade balance, aid dependency, urbanization, energy, and industry. The research adopts a dual epistemological approach, incorporating both developmentalism and post-developmentalism perspectives, to provide a comprehensive understanding of Rwanda's socioeconomic landscape. The implication of this study not only contributes to the discourse on self-sufficiency in sub-Saharan Africa but also offers valuable insights into the effective implementation of socioeconomic initiatives for countries striving for similar goals.
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