Rhoda Peace Tumusiime

Former Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission

Until January 2017, her Excellency Tumusiime Rhoda Peace was the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission (AUC).

Prior to holding this post, she held various senior positions in the Government of the Republic of Uganda, including those of Commissioner for Agriculture Planning and Commissioner for Women and Development.

She holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Agricultural Economics, a Master’s Degree in Economics, Planning and Managing Rural Development, and a Diploma in Women and Development.

Throughout her career, she has demonstrated leadership and championed causes such as women’s empowerment, poverty eradication, agricultural development, strategic planning and partnership building, among others.

Her portfolio as AU Commissioner covered multiple Ministerial sectors ranging from crop agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, land, water, environment, climate change, climate services, disaster risk reduction to rural development. Food and nutrition security remained central in her schedule.

She has mobilised and closely worked with other Pan African Institutions and Development Partner Agencies in all those areas to secure and provide support to AU Member States.

Her efforts have yielded increased responses in the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Programme (CAADP) and other AU flagship programmes.

From one country which had signed a CAADP Compact over a period of four years she has so far registered 34 within less than 2 years.

Further, she has spearheaded the coordination of Africa’s preparations for global climate change negotiations and the formulation of a continent-wide climate change strategy in addition to steering Africa’s preparation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Action Plan in line with the global Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015.

Her expertise and experience as well as commitment have won her a number of key positions on regional and international organisations, such as membership of the High-level Advisory Panel of UNISDR, Advisory Board of Expo 2015 dedicated to the Theme: Feeding the Planet, Energy For Life, Governing Board of the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), Chair of the Governing Council of the African Fertiliser Financing Mechanism (AFFM), Chair of the ALive Platform for livestock development in Africa, member of the Global Panel on Nutrition, among others.

She continues to serve the African Union and its Member States.