Rwandese agriculture minister roots for food banks as experts predict bumper maize crop

RWANDA – The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Ildephonse Musafiri has asked authorities in Eastern Province to start planning to establish food storage facilities, aimed to prevent post-harvest losses in season A, 2024.

The warning follows a prediction by agriculture experts, stating that Maize production will reach over 500,000 tonnes from 130,000 hectares covered in the Eastern Province during season A, 2024, equivalent to 3.5 tonnes per hectare.

Musafiri was speaking during a consultative meeting held at the provincial headquarters in Rwamagana on January 11, attended by agriculture value chain actors, local leaders, and large-scale buyers, among others, to discuss the preparedness to handle post-harvest losses in season A 2024 harvest.

He said establishing food banks for sustainable post-harvest management would help bridge the gap in storage capacity and ensure efficient storage of the projected produce.

The projected increase in yields in Eastern Province is attributed to improved farming techniques, increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, and favorable weather conditions that the previous season experienced, as well as cultivating 70 percent of the available land in the province, according to experts.

However, experts fear that the bumper crop would be lost due to a shortage of storage facilities in the province if measures are not taken.

During the meeting, Jeanne Nyirahabimana, the Provincial Executive Secretary revealed that the province can only efficiently store a third of the projected produce in Season A in 2024.

According to her, there are 768 permanent drying shelters capable of storing 14,000 tonnes, yet more than 500,000 tonnes of maize produce is expected, which brings a gap in post-harvest shelters needed to efficiently store the projected produce.

Among the discussed possibilities to curb post-harvest losses were fixing the issue of middlemen, mobilizing large-scale buyers to commit to buying the production, providing sheeting for temporary shelters, and setting up food storage facilities in districts.

Minister Musafiri urged collaborations between actors in the agriculture value chain and district administrations.

Adding to that, he said the collaboration would not only address the immediate need for additional post-harvest shelters but also provide a long-term solution for managing future yields.

Farmer’s plight

During the meeting, farmers highlighted some of the challenges they face in their post-harvest management practices urging the need for immediate action.

Among the challenges include counterfeit equipment on the market, such as tents, poor feeder roads from farms to storage facilities, and the issue of speculators who buy produce from gardens, which affects the quality of their produce.

Janet Cherie, the chairperson of the Rwangingo Farmers’ Cooperative in Nyagatare District, urged the  Rwanda Standards Board to increase inspections and crackdown on counterfeit equipment to protect farmers from financial losses and ensure post-harvest management.

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