PM Murekezi calls for Agricultural research to bolster growth

From Left: Dr. Geraldine Mukeshimana, Minister of Agriculture and Animals resources, Prime Minister of Rwanda Anastase Murekez together with Dr. Akinwumi Adesina. President of the African Development Bank.

The Rt Hon Prime Minister of Rwanda Anastase Murekezi has said that agriculture research is critical towards the development of the sector that currently employs over 65 percent of the continent’s population.

While opening the 7^th Africa agriculture science and Forum for Agriculture research in Africa-FARA general assembly in Kigali on Monday, the Prime Minister emphasized Africa must employ agriculture technology to add value to production.

This sector is a crucial cornerstone to Africa’s economic transformation which needs to be treated as a business not a subsistence activity,” he said echoing the need increased Agribusiness investments.

The 7^th agriculture week that is running under the theme ‘Apply science impact livelihoods’ is looking at how science and technology can be used to bolster sector growth and improve livelihoods of people.

It’s a new opportunity for Africa to understand how science and technology can improve agriculture to improve the continent’s populations,” the Prime Minister Murekezi said.

Murekezi says that through collaboration between the government and scientists, Africa would go beyond the limits that are hindering its growth of the sector and shift science from school to the gardens.

Moreover, Dr. Geraldine Mukeshimana, Minister of Agriculture and Animals resources added research has been vital in developing high yield and disease resistant varieties as well as animal genetics improvements.

“These technologies keep contributing towards increasing land productivity while protecting our needed natural resource base,” she said.

The country’s agriculture sector which contributes a third of the GDP has recently been a focus of technology transformation.

On the sidelines of the Assembly, Michael Ryan, European Union head of delegation in Rwanda announced the Union will extend the government of Rwanda 200 million euros (approx Rwf 168 billions) to Rwanda to support agriculture nutrition, but didn’t not specify the date.