SPREAD
Sustaining Partnerships to enhance Rural Enterprise and Agribusiness Development
SPREAD is partnership and program aimed at strengthening value chain development in Rwanda with the goal of improving the lives of rural producers and their families. Michigan State University has teamed up with prime contractor Texas A&M and the National University of Rwanda in the implementation of SPREAD. The primary value chain focus of the project is on specialty coffee for export to the U.S., Europe, Japan and other major markets. Horticulture exports are an additional value chain focus of the program.
 |
Dr. Dan Clay, Director of the Pearl Program, also directs the MSU activities on SPREAD, a follow-on to the Rwanda PEARL Project. Michigan State University’s engagement in this partnership is multifaceted, and includes: |
Specialty Coffee. A lead role in specialty coffee market development, headed by Anne Ottaway. One of the highlights of Ottaway’s work on SPREAD is the first-ever Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition
and auction in Africa. MSU is working hand in glove with the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), home of the CoE, and other partners to capture the power of this prestigious event to elevate the quality of Rwanda coffee and to access markets worldwide.
Horticulture. MSU’s horticulture value chain specialist Luis Flores is assisting SPREAD in the development of chili pepper and other high value exports through improved production and processing as well as expanded market access.
 |
Health Communications Strategy. PamWhitten, health communications specialist in the MSU College of Communications Arts &Sciences is assisting theproject in the development of a health communication strategyin support of Rwanda’s fight against HIV/AIDS. |
Impact Analysis. MSU Agricultural Economics Ph.D. candidate Abdoul Murekezi is leading a field-based research team in assessing the comparative impacts on rural communities of investments
in cooperatively-owned versus privately-owned coffee washing stations. Both of these competing business models have emerged on the scene in recent years and have been the locus of Rwanda’s ongoing coffee revolution. GIS-Based M&E. Luis Flores, architect of the widely recognized PFID/Nicaragua GIS-based Monitoring and Evaluation program, is assisting the SPREAD project in the design and implementation of an M&E program that will draw on many of the features that the Nicaragua program has become known for.
For more information contact:
Daniel C. Clay, Professor and Director
Institute of International Agriculture
Michigan State University
319 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
tel: 517-353-1309 (direct)
517-355-0174 (reception)
fax: 517-353-1888
e-mail: clay@msu.edu
Photos courtesy of Sue Nichols
