NIGERIAN DELEGATION ON AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT STUDY TOUR IN RWANDA

A delegation of senior officials from Nigeria’s National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is on study tour in Rwanda from July 31 to August 11, 2017 as part of their National Executive Course. The study tour is meant to learn about Science, technology and innovation for the development of Agriculture and Agro-allied industries.

The delegation, led by Prof. Habu S. Galadima, the Director of Research at the Institute, was on July 31, 2017 welcomed by Jean Claude Kayisinga, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), and provided them with an overview on Rwanda’s agriculture sector.

While meeting with the ministry’s senior officials, the Nigerian delegation got explanations on how different home-grown solutions, initiated and implemented by the government of Rwanda, have been boosting the country’s agriculture sector over the last few years.

The delegation members were told how the Crop Intensification Programme (CIP), implemented since 2007 up to date, has improved access to inputs, land use consolidation, proximity extension services, land husbandry, irrigation, mechanisation, farmer organisations, post-harvest handling and storage and output market access.

Under CIP, for instance, fertilizer use increased from 4 kg to 32 kg /ha while households using improved seeds increased to 41% of farmers on land use consolidation, explained Dr Charles Murekezi, the Director General in charge of Agriculture Development in the Ministry.

The country’s food storage capacity has also increased more than twentyfold since 2008, the Director General said, adding that the agriculture production remains consistently higher than population growth. Agriculture remains the backbone of Rwanda’s economy: it contributes 33% to GDP and employs 70% of the population.

The government has also been investing hugely in irrigation in order to ensure improved yields. Currently, around 8% of potential irrigable land is irrigated. And there is a mechanism in place to enable more farmers to irrigate their crops.

Girinka (One Cow per Poor Family) programme is also another home-grown solution that attracted the interest of the delegation. Initiated in 2006, Girinka has so far seen the distribution of 294,319 cows to poor and vulnerable families. And beneficiaries get milk for home consumption and sale, access to manure for crop production, and future calves and bulls can be sold on for income.

The Nigerian delegation is also scheduled to meet with officials from Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), and interact with the agency’s scientists in a bid to learn from Rwanda’s best practices in the use of science, technology and innovation for the development of agriculture and agro-allied industries.

RWANDA SECURES OVER RWF 110 BILLION IN IFAD FUNDING TO BOOST AGRICULTURE

MINAGRI launches Veterinary Sanitary Mandate policy and related Digital Licensing system

Rwanda Launches the Youth FAST Forum

Rwanda Hosted the 21st CAADP Partnership Platform and 16th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security

Rwanda Marks World Food Day 2025 with a Call for Collective Action on Nutrition and Food Security

Rwanda hosted the 6th Eastern Africa Farmers Federation Congress

UBUTUMWA BUJYANYE N’IGIHEMBWE CY’IHINGA CY’UMUHINDO CYA 2026 A

MINISTER DR. MARK CYUBAHIRO BAGABE INAUGURATED THE KIBEHO TEA FACTORY

MINAGRI Rallies Stakeholders to Boost Seeds and Fertilizer Distribution for 2026A Agricultural Season