Rwanda invests USD 10M in agricultural biotechnology by 2029

RWANDA – Rwanda has embarked on a significant journey to enhance its agricultural sector with the launch of the National Biotechnology Programme.

The initiative, funded by a USD 9.9 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will run from 2024 to 2029. Its goal is to introduce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into key crops to improve their resilience against diseases, pests, and drought.

The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Authority (RAB) partnered with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) to launch the program on Friday, October 11.

The focus will be on strategic crops such as cassava, maize, and potatoes. According to a statement by RAB, “These improved varieties are expected to enable Rwandan farmers to be more resilient and achieve higher yields, which will ultimately strengthen food security and household incomes.”

The project involves collaboration with international biotechnology experts such as Bayer, the International Corn and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and Michigan State University.

This cooperation aims to fast-track the development of GMO varieties in Rwanda, where, despite a growing openness to GMOs, large-scale production has not yet been implemented.

Earlier this year, Rwanda’s parliament passed a bill allowing the use, processing, marketing, import, and export of GMOs.

Although no GMO crops are currently grown on a large scale, trials have begun on cassava and GM potato varieties resistant to late blight, a fungal disease that devastates crops in East Africa.

With cassava, maize, and potatoes accounting for over 2.7 million tonnes of agricultural output in 2023, the program is expected to have a major impact.

Rwanda’s embrace of biotechnology is seen as a significant step toward food security and increased productivity in a region where unpredictable climate conditions often threaten crop yields.

Tomato exports reach USD 13.8M as sector thrives

In addition to its biotech ambitions, Rwanda is witnessing rapid growth in another agricultural sector—tomato exports.

For the fiscal year 2023-2024, Rwanda’s tomato exports doubled in both volume and value, reaching a total of 13,700 tonnes and generating USD 13.8 million in revenue.

This represents a substantial increase from the previous year, when the country exported over 6,000 tonnes of tomatoes valued at $6.8 million, according to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB).

Jean Bosco Mulindi, the Emerging Commodities Division Manager at NAEB, attributed this success to the government’s investments in greenhouse farming, modern irrigation, and farmer cooperatives.

“We’ve improved extension services and expanded irrigation systems, which increased productivity and helped our farmers achieve better quality produce,” Mulindi noted.

Irrigated areas grew from 1,784 hectares in 2022 to 2,552 hectares in 2023, boosting Rwanda’s ability to compete in the regional tomato market.

Rwanda exports three main tomato varieties—Rio Grande, RomaVF, and ANA F1—primarily to regional markets such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Kenya.

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