Rwanda and AATF launch partnership to boost food security through high-yield, resilient crops

RWANDA – The Rwanda Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) have unveiled a new public-private partnership aimed at developing high-yielding, pest and disease-resistant varieties of cassava, maize, and potatoes.

This ambitious Rwanda Agricultural Biotechnology Programme is projected to benefit over 500,000 farming households across the country. It focuses on productivity and resilience in three staple crops essential to food security in Rwanda.

The partnership was launched following a two-day meeting that gathered representatives from various research institutions and industry leaders.

Spearheaded by AATF and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), the initiative includes contributions from the International Potato Center (CIP), Michigan State University (MSU), Bayer, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in the United States.

Each partner will bring specialized expertise, from developing disease-resistant crops to ensuring regulatory and market access, to help transform Rwanda’s agricultural landscape.

CIMMYT, a leading research institution in maize breeding, will contribute its expertise in developing stress-resilient maize for various African environments.

Dr. Yoseph Beyene, CIMMYT’s Regional Maize Breeding Coordinator, expressed excitement about the project’s potential, noting that it builds on CIMMYT’s longstanding collaboration with AATF and Bayer, which began in 2007.

The partnership has already yielded several drought-tolerant and insect-resistant maize varieties in Sub-Saharan Africa, with transgenic maize hybrids recently released in Nigeria and forthcoming trials in Ethiopia and Mozambique.

Additionally, Dr. Sylvester Oikeh, who heads biotech maize development at AATF, pointed out that Rwanda’s average maize yield of 1.6 tons per hectare is below potential, causing the country to spend over US$23 million annually on maize imports.

“A pool of insect-resistant and drought-tolerant maize varieties has already been tested for different growing zones in Rwanda,” he noted, with plans to release these varieties to Rwandan farmers following adaptation trials and regulatory approval.

Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, Director General of RAB, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, highlighted the project’s collaborative approach as essential for sustainable food security.

“By integrating research and extension services, we can equip farmers with the necessary tools and knowledge to boost productivity and resilience,” he said, emphasizing the importance of a clear roadmap and rigorous monitoring to ensure the project achieves its goals.

The program aims to provide farmers with access to improved crop varieties resilient to threats such as cassava brown streak disease, potato late blight, stem borers, and fall armyworm—all of which have significantly impacted yields in Rwanda.

Dr. Canasius Kanangire, Executive Director of AATF, stressed the project’s potential impact.

“By providing protection against these threats, the new varieties will help assure farmers better harvests and quality products.”

 He further noted AATF’s longstanding commitment to supporting smallholder farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa with agricultural innovations that improve health and economic stability for rural communities.

Bayer East Africa, another key partner, underlined the vital role of crop innovation in addressing broader challenges such as climate change and food insecurity.

Simon Njeru, Bayer’s Regulatory Science Project Lead, emphasized the value of focusing on staple crops like cassava, which are crucial for empowering smallholders and promoting sustainable development.

“Many crops, such as cassava, are vital to the agenda of empowering smallholders for food security and economic growth, but their enhancement is often neglected by plant scientists,” he explained.

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