Rwanda should adapt to agro-mechanization, says experts

Source: New Times
Rwanda should embrace agriculture
mechanisation and other innovative technologies
to ensure sustainable food production, agro-
economists have advised.
They say encouraging farmers to adopt irrigation,
use fertilisers and planting of disease and drought
resistant crops will help enhance production.
They also urge the government to link farmers to
lenders and markets, Narcisse Ndagijimana, the
Private Sector Federation's Chamber of
Agriculture director general, said.
He added that the private sector is ready to play a
big role to help turn around the sector if it gets
the necessary support.
"If we intervene in a big way, it will help increase
production, create employment opportunities and
boost the export sector and grow the economy,"
he said.
Innocent Musabyimana, the deputy director in
charge of agricultural extension at the Rwanda
Agricultural Board, said the board is working with
stakeholders, including local government and co-
operatives at the grassroots, to ensure better
output.
He said the board will devise mechanisms to raise
agro-production, citing the for land consolidation,
doubling inorganic and organic fertiliser supplies,
and ensuring that farmers plant in time.
David Mills, director of Weather Safe Rwanda, a
UK-based firm that tracks crop performance
using hi-tech means, pointed out that it is
essential to provide farmers modern equipment
and relevant information.
"Farmers need, not only equipment, but also
information about variations in weather partners,
market, soil fertility and texture, as well as
topography to be able to carry out farming from
a point of knowledge," Mills said.
According to Chari Viswarupa, the country
manager ETC Mahindra Agro Tractors and
Implements, an agro-inputs dealership,
embracing mechanised agriculture is the way to
ensure sustainable output.
"For the country to have sustainable food supply,
it needs to emphasise extensive mechanised
farming. The good thing is that there is ready
market for food in the country."
Viswarupa urged the government to promote
public-private partnerships in the industry,
arguing that this will enable farmers acquire credit
and skills required to carry out modern farming.
Analysts blame poor output on low agro-
investment by donors and African governments
in the past 20 years.
According to the 2013 Global Hunger Index
report, Rwanda is ranked among the top 10
countries that have had the most improved index
in the past 23 years, reducing its score by over
50 per cent.
Government had expected a food surplus of
about 558,000 tonnes this season.
However, during the second quarter of 2013,
maize production declined by 3 per cent, from
166,649 tonnes in the second season of 2012 to
161,935 tonnes last season. Wheat output
dropped by 18 per cent from 68,026 tonnes in
2012 to 55,744 tonnes in the same period this
year, while Irish potatoes declined from 836,110
tonnes to 808,639 tonnes last season, reflecting a
3 per cent drop. Sweet potatoes output reduced
marginally by 2 per cent from 593,517 tonnes in
to 581,132 tonnes during the same period.
Fruit and vegetable output declined by 10 per cent
and 1 per cent, respectively.
The drop saw prices of most fruits, including
mangoes increase by 50 per cent during this
quarter.
This year, government earmarked about
Rfw28.4b to increase access to clean water and
improve land husbandry to boost productivity.
Agriculture budget increased from Rwf67.1b in
the 2011/12 fiscal year to Rwf78.3b this year.
Close to Rwf67b was allocated to the agriculture
ministry and Rwf9.4b to the Rwanda Agricultural
Board, the optimal centre for food production
According to the Maputo Declaration of 2003,
African leaders committed themselves to allocate
10 per cent of their national budgets to the
agricultural sector to ensure food security.