The new initiative introduces cutting-edge cultivation technology to Rwanda for the first time as part of a collaborative effort among R-GATE Hachimantai Ltd , National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Rwanda Office.
The lab is located at the NAEB offices in Gikondo. The unveiling ceremony was attended by Dr. Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI); Isao Fukushima, Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda; Takahiro Sasaki, Mayor of Hachimantai City; and Minako Shiotsuka, Chief Representative of JICA Rwanda.
Other officials present included representatives of key project partners, such as Yoshiyuki Sato, Managing Director of R-Gate Hachimantai Ltd.; Shungo Harada, Managing Director of Bloom Hills Rwanda Ltd.; and hosted by Sandrine Urujeni, Chief Operations Officer of NAEB.
The Gentian-in-Rwanda project was launched in 2015, with Japanese companies, including Bloom Hills Rwanda Ltd., cultivating gentian flowers in Rwanda and exporting them to the European market in partnership with Hachimantai City.
Led by the Japanese local government Hachimantai City, the project leverages the city's intellectual property of plant varieties to license overseas multiplication on farms like Rwanda's Nyacyonga Flower Park.
The new project, titled 'SDGs Business Verification Survey with the Private Sector for High-Quality Flower Young Plants Production Utilizing Tissue Culture Technology in Rwanda,' is funded by JICA. It aims to enhance the Gentian-in-Rwanda project by using innovative tissue culture technology to produce seedlings for pot plants and develop a value-added and competitive gentian flower industry, boosting exports.
Speaking at the 10th-anniversary celebration held at the Marriott Hotel, Sandrine Urujeni, NAEB's Chief Operations Officer, said the project is poised to advance Rwanda's floriculture industry by establishing a technological foundation. It has been piloting the export of planting materials (cuttings) since 2023 and the first commercial lot for export to Europe is planned for 2026.
'This laboratory will help us truly bridge the gap in having clean and abundant planting materials for summer flowers,' Urujeni stated.
Minako Shiotsuka, Chief Representative of JICA Rwanda, attributed the project's success to strong Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
'In our journey so far, Public-Private Partnerships have become an increasingly important strategy for JICA to promote greater investment from Japanese companies for the development of Rwanda's industries,' she remarked.
Dr. Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary of MINAGRI, affirmed that the collaboration between JICA, the Japanese private sector, and Rwanda aligns with the country's National Strategy for Transformation (NST1 and NST2), which focuses on economic transformation through rapid growth and job creation.
During Phase 1 of the project, Rwanda successfully exported 2 million stems of gentian flowers annually, creating 500 jobs and generating $999,618 over the past five years. Through this initiative, Rwanda has become the world's largest overseas production centre for gentian flowers.
'The achievements at Nyacyonga Flower Park demonstrate the potential for replication in other regions, amplifying the economic impact and fostering smallholder farming,' Kamana noted.
Over the last five years, export revenues from floriculture exceeded $25 million. It achieved a 1.4% increase in export growth and a 1.3% revenue growth between 2018 and 2023.
With ongoing investments in both existing and new farms, targeting a wide variety of flowers such as gentians for diverse markets, Kamana stated that Rwanda envisions floriculture contributing over $40 million in annual export revenues by 2030.
Japan's Ambassador to Rwanda, Isao Fukushima, highlighted the collaboration as a testament to the strong ties between the two nations. He expressed confidence that the new initiative would support Rwanda's development goals under NST2 by unlocking the potential of its agriculture sector and encouraging investment and innovation.
'The success of this project shines a bright light on a new path, leading us to the next chapter of Japan-Rwanda friendship,' Ambassador Fukushima remarked.
Takahiro Sasaki, Mayor of Hachimantai City, also praised the partnership between Japan and Rwanda, affirming that the ongoing collaboration will create significant employment opportunities and contribute to expanding exports.
'We will continue working together to develop Rwanda. Hachimantai City will not cease its cooperation and support for Rwanda's development,' Sasaki stated.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
