The agriculture sector is still largely subsistence despite efforts to promote modern and commercial farming ideals. What else is being done to ensure Rwandans look at farming as a business?
Rwanda looks to strengthen market-oriented agriculture production and processing of agriculture commodities. More emphasis is currently on value chains where the country has a comparative advantage and can compete in the domestic, regional and international markets Agricultural Processing Equipment.
The ministry is working with stakeholders to improve access to quality seeds and other inputs as well as farm implements. There are also different initiatives geared at addressing production constraints, reducing post-harvest losses and eliminating market inefficiencies. Priority has been given to value chains, including food staples, horticulture, floriculture, milk and meat production, hides and skins, honey, pyrethrum, coffee and tea.
Agricultural Processing Equipment
Farmers have often complained about lack of markets and poor infrastructure. How are these challenges being addressed?
Access to market is a major factor for sustained improved crop yields. Therefore, the development of markets is a key intervention. This involves establishing of post-harvest and cold chain management infrastructure to reduce post-harvest losses and ensure good quality produce.
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Government has invested in feeder roads to improve farmer access to markets. Furthermore, there is an online market information systems, e-soko, to facilitate produce marketing.
Though the agriculture sector contributes 30 per cent to the country’s GDP, it is growing at a slow pace. What is the ministry doing to improve crop productivity?
The agriculture sector supports over 72 per cent of Rwanda’s population, mainly in the rural areas. So, it plays a big role in bringing about rural development, as well as reducing poverty and is instrumental in ensuring food security.
The sector contributes one third of GDP after services. Therefore, Agricultural Processing Equipment has a critical role toward economic growth and export promotion.
It is against this background, that the country has prioritised agriculture and strives to make it more productive, competitive and market-oriented.
There are also programmes geared at increasing production of export crops such as coffee, tea and pyrethrum to improve export volumes. It is also important to improve labour productivity to make the sector more productive per person and hence competitive.
