Rwandan farmers urged to update to commercial agriculture
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, June 24, 2017
KIGALI, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan minister of agriculture on Friday urged the country's farmers to transform from traditional subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture.
Traditional subsistence agriculture among small-holder farmers is not yielding enough for home consumption and for markets, Geraldine Mukeshimana said at the 12th national agriculture exhibition show in the capital Kigali.
"The government has improved access and affordability of key farm inputs to smallholder farmers to enable them to participate in commercial agriculture. The only way to alleviate poverty is through increased investment in modern and commercial agriculture," she said.
The country focuses on promoting commercial agricultural production for consumption and export in order to improved livelihoods and incomes of farmers, she added.
The national agriculture exhibition show which runs from June 22 to 27 is under the theme:"adopt climate resilient technologies to improve farmer livelihoods."
Hundreds of farmers from Rwanda and the region are participating in the weeklong event to showcase the latest technologies used in agricultural production.
In Rwanda, where over 69 percent of the population depends on agriculture, the majority of farmers especially in the poverty-stricken areas practice traditional subsistence agriculture.
Rwanda's agriculture sector has witnessed incredible progress through the implementation of the third phase of Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture in the country where surges in food and cash crop production has led to poverty reduction to 39.1 percent in 2016 from 44.9 percent in 2011.
Agriculture in the country accounts for a third of the country's GDP and contributes 47 percent of Rwanda's domestic goods and exports.
Figures from the ministry of agriculture indicated that the sector has generated 60 percent of foreign exchange and provides 75 percent of raw materials to manufacturing industries. Enditem
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)