Govt to improve access to agric inputs #Rwanda

Efforts aimed at increasing agro-productivity in the country
have been boosted following the launch of the second phase
of the Agro Dealers Development project (RDD 2).
Under the project, the government targets to increase the
number of agro dealers from 1,200 presently to over 3,000
dealers by 2018.
The effort is expected to increase access to agro inputs,
especially in the rural areas to improve crop productivity,
Jean Bosco Safari, the Agribusiness Focused Partnership
Organisation (AGRIFOP) chief executive officer, said. Safari
also said farmers countrywide are still benefiting from
agricultural subsidies in terms of fertilisers and improved
seeds from the government.
"Under this arrangement, farmers will only pay 25 per cent
of the total cost of the input. For instance, if a kilogramme of
seeds costs Rwf2,500, a farmer will pay Rwf500 and the
government will cover the remaining Rwf1,500. The same
goes for other inputs like fertilisers," Safari said during the
launch of the Rwanda Agro Dealers Development project
launch in Kigali on Friday.
"We want Rwandans to know the opportunities and
profitability of agribusiness so that the sector can attract
more players and boost competitiveness."
The project also seeks to increase smallholder farmer agro
productivity and income through strengthened agro-
business networks, according to Dr Charles Murekezi, the
fertiliser programme co-ordinator at the Ministry of
Agriculture.
"The idea is to improve food security and people's
livelihoods by developing transitional rural markets across
the country, as well as strengthen market processes,"
Murekezi said. He noted that transforming subsistence
agriculture to market oriented agriculture was key for
Rwanda to achieve sustainable economic transformation.
The second phase of the project is estimated to cost $
60,000 (about Rwf408m) compared to $1.5m that was
injected into the initial project.
AGRIFOP has also called for proposals for the construction
of an agro sector development facility.
The facility is hoped to be central in enhancing innovations
in the agribusiness, thus boost productivity, according to
Netlyn Bernard, the Interchurch Organisation for
Development Co-operation (ICCO) deputy regional
manager.
Last week, the government said the food security situation
in the country was under control despite threats presented
by climate change. It dismissed media reports which had
indicated that some families were experiencing food
shortages.
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda
(NISR), the agriculture sector grew by 5 per cent in the first
quarter of this year, contributing 1.7 percentage points to
GDP growth.