The government of Rwanda has started a drive to increase wheat production in the country. The move is aimed at producing enough wheat for the growing local market and complement flour imports from neighbouring countries.
Patrick Hakizimana, the Director of Rwanda Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) said,"Rwanda is targeting 39,000 tonnes of wheat by 2010. This will be 56 per cent increase in wheat production in a country that has been producing only 22,513 tonnes annually." If the target is achieved, Rwanda will therefore be able to produce 60 per cent of its wheat requirement for baking bread. Most of the wheat used for making bread is currently imported from Europe and Kenya, making wheat products very expensive.
Three varieties of wheat seeds that produce flour suitable for for bread making have been imported. The seeds, donated by Kenya Seed Company, are being tested in three agro-ecological zones of the country's Northern Province.
The new varieties being introduced will slowly replace the ones farmers have been producing, especially for food like posho and porridge, raising issues of reduced biodiversity and the adaptability of the new varieties compared to the local varieties. It is expected that by the end of 2007, wheat production will have increased from 22,000 tonnes to 25,000 tonnes annually.
Hakizimana said wheat is currently grown on less than 10, 000 hectares of land countrywide. He said the plan is to increase wheat cultivation hectarages as well as yield per unit area. The government is testing the best varieties, supplying fertilizers, giving out improved varieties of wheat seeds to farmers and supervising the wheat fields.
Rwanda Min.Agriculture
To ease your site search, article categories are at bottom of page.
