Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) in Collaboration with Bank of Kigali and BK TecHouse is hosting a training of all agro-dealers, district and sector agronomists to train them on Smart Nkunganire System and its components along the agro-inputs supply chain. The training session, taking place from July 15, 2019 to July 19, 2019 in Kigali, also serves as an occasion to plan together the implementation of 2020A Agricultural Season.
They are trained in registering farmers through Smart Nkunganire System, ordering agro-inputs, stock management and taken through steps of using IKOFI, an e-wallet launched by BK to drive financial inclusion in the agriculture sector.
Launched in 2017, the Smart Nkunganire System (SNS) was built by Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) in collaboration with BK TecHouse. This platform links and empowers stakeholders involved in the subsidy programme that handles fertilizers, improved seeds and enables farmers to receive advisory messages from experts on best practice, as well as warnings or general notification from different stakeholders, among others.
Speaking at the opening of the training session, Egide Gatari, Agriculture Subsidies Program Manager at RAB said the session is part of a five-day training for concerned stakeholders from across the country.
The training shall benefit all registered agro-dealers from across the country totaling to 1,046 as well as 416 districts, sector agronomists and Directors of Agriculture.
“We also want to bring on board areas of focus in the next Agriculture Season 2020A to begin in September identifying proper fertilizers to be applied, and discuss effective measures to enhance farmers' registration, among others," he said.
The new system will significantly increase efficiency, productivity, transparency and bridges communication gaps within the Agro-Input subsidy program. SNS will also help remarkably raise financial inclusion, cashless transactions and green economy in the agriculture sector.