The meeting brought together stakeholders from the rice sector to assess progress, discuss challenges, and advocate for increased investment to strengthen the sector's development.
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, emphasized the importance of improving rice productivity and aligning production with market demands.
'The rice value chain has become a critical part of Rwanda's food systems. Income from rice cultivation contributes to improved livelihoods in rural areas and drives national economic growth,' he stated.
The event was organized under the leadership of Ms. Alice Mukamugena, the Director General of Agriculture Value Chain Management and Trade at MINAGRI, who highlighted the importance of collaboration in achieving the sector's goals.
'This meeting provides an essential platform for stakeholders to share progress, identify challenges, and work together toward solutions for the growth of Rwanda's rice sector,' she remarked.
Progress and Challenges in the Rice Sector
During the meeting, updates on the progress of the rice sector over the past five years were shared. The area under rice cultivation expanded from 29,600 hectares to 34,900 hectares, and annual paddy rice production increased from 116,500 to 141,900 metric tons.
Post-harvest infrastructure has also improved, with 585 drying grounds now capable of processing 14,495 metric tons of paddy rice. Additionally, 28 rice milling companies currently operate in Rwanda, 14 of which are certified by the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB).
These companies are organized under the Rwanda Forum for Rice Millers (RFRM), an industry body that promotes coordination, advocates for millers' needs, and works to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the rice milling sector.
Farmer cooperatives were also recognized as key drivers of the rice sector's development. The sector is supported by 120 cooperatives, of which 75 are organized into unions under the National Federation of Rice Farmers' Cooperatives (FUCORIRWA). FUCORIRWA plays a vital role in coordinating activities across the value chain, from production to marketing, ensuring that farmers' interests are well-represented and their productivity enhanced.
The meeting also featured participation from the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), which plays a critical role in addressing the challenges of rice breeding and seed production. RAB collaborates with research institutions and private sector partners to develop high-yield, resilient rice varieties. Its efforts have been instrumental in improving seed availability, but gaps in the seed system remain a key barrier, highlighting the need for continued investment in seed production and distribution systems.
Despite these achievements, challenges remain. Only 55% of the potential area for rice cultivation has been developed, and climate change impacts, such as flash floods and water scarcity, pose risks to rice farming. Furthermore, low utilization rates of local rice millsâ€"currently operating at 47% capacityâ€"and gaps in post-harvest infrastructure constrain the sector's potential. Rwanda continues to import 78% of its rice to meet demand.
'These challenges also present untapped opportunities for investment,' Dr. Bagabe noted, urging stakeholders to collaborate on solutions. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to implementing the National Rice Development Strategy-2 (NRDS-2) in alignment with the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA5).
Key Insights and Partnerships
Ms. Shiotsuka Minako, Chief Representative of JICA in Rwanda, addressed the audience, highlighting JICA's support for the rice sector through the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) initiative.
She explained that Rwanda has been an active member of CARD since its launch in 2010, which aims to double rice production across Africa. Under this initiative, Rwanda successfully implemented its first National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS-1) and is now making strides with NRDS-2 (2020â€"2030).
Ms. Shiotsuka commended MINAGRI for its leadership and reiterated JICA's commitment to providing technical support and capacity building to further enhance the rice value chain in Rwanda.
Vision for the Future
The NRDS-2 aims to triple domestic rice production to 390,000 metric tons by 2030. This will be achieved by expanding the area under rice cultivation to 60,000 hectares and increasing productivity to 6.5 metric tons per hectare. MINAGRI and RAB will play central roles in driving this transformation, providing strategic leadership and ensuring that necessary investments and policies are implemented to strengthen the entire rice value chain.
By supporting these efforts, FUCORIRWA and RFRM will foster coordination among farmers and millers, advocate for their needs, and improve the efficiency and competitiveness of rice production and processing. RAB's leadership in rice breeding and seed production will also remain critical to boosting productivity and ensuring that farmers have access to high-quality, resilient seeds.
Ms. Mukamugena, in her closing remarks, reiterated the importance of collective efforts in achieving the sector's goals.
'The growth of the rice sector requires collaboration not only from the government but also from all stakeholders. Together, we can achieve sustainable development in this vital sector,' she concluded.
Théophile Niyitegeka
