The Rwanda Flower Farmers Association has received funding from Nuffic, a Dutch institute, to help train farmers in better farming and production strategies.
Rwanda is hoping to increase flower gardens to 200 hectares in three years for export to Europe.
According to the association's president, Gabriel Ngendabanga, the money will sponsor 20 members from six cooperative unions in different provinces for a field study tour in Naivasha, Kenya. Kenya was selected because the country is ranked one of the leading producers of cut flowers, earning $110 million annually.
"Training will run for three months and expose Rwandan growers to modern commercial flower growing," Ngendabanga said. It will particularly cover crop management, pest and disease control, fertilisation, post harvest and package handling, electronic irrigation and fertiliser making. Focus will be put upon various species of roses.
The association, which started with two hectares of flowers, has increased to 42 hectares in Butare and 50 hectares in the Northern Province. The association currently has 1,600 farmers.
allafrica.com
