Rwanda has initiated a new five-year program aimed at enhancing crop productivity through agricultural biotechnology. The Rwanda Agricultural Biotechnology Program (Cassava, Maize, Potato – CMP), launched on October 11, is backed by a $10 million investment (approximately Rwf 13 billion) and will run from October 2024 to October 2029.
The program is a collaboration between the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), who will lead its implementation. The initiative aims to provide Rwandan farmers with access to high-yield crops, helping them mitigate losses caused by pests and diseases, which is crucial for improving agricultural productivity.
Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Ildephonse Musafiri, highlighted the challenges facing Rwandan agriculture, including the widespread fall armyworm infestations, drought impacting maize, and diseases like brown streak disease in cassava and late blight in potatoes. He affirmed the Rwandan government’s commitment to innovative technologies, including biotechnology, to combat these issues.
A key component of the program is the Biosafety Act enacted in February 2024, which aims to ensure the safe handling and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country. Musafiri emphasized that this investment aligns with the government’s goals of improving agricultural yields and resilience in the face of climate change.
The program targets three specific crops for testing and cultivation:
- Virus-resistant cassava: Developed to resist the damaging Cassava Brown Streak Disease, which affects yield and quality.
- Late blight-resistant potato: Engineered to combat late blight, a disease that significantly reduces potato yields and increases dependence on chemical sprays.
- Drought-tolerant maize: Modified to withstand drought and resist attacks from stem borers and fall armyworms, safeguarding farmers’ harvests.
Rwanda has partnered with various stakeholders over the years to address challenges in cassava, maize, and potato production. More than $9.8 million in funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been allocated to support these efforts.
With cassava being a staple crop for nearly 700,000 households, the project aims to make significant advancements in its cultivation by genetically modifying local varieties to enhance resistance to diseases. Similarly, efforts to improve potato production focus on incorporating late blight resistance genes into popular varieties.
In maize production, which spans 280,000 hectares annually, frequent insect attacks and low average yields have resulted in significant import costs for the country. The TELA project, implemented by AATF, seeks to enhance maize varieties through biotechnology, increasing both drought tolerance and insect resistance.
This investment marks a pivotal step for Rwanda in the agricultural biotechnology sector, allowing the nation to join the broader AgBiotech community and positioning its farmers for greater success in the agricultural landscape.
