Construction works of Rwf3.5 billion animal feeds factory were launched in Huye District on Thursday.

The factory with capacity to produce 40 tonnes of high quality and affordable animal feeds per day, is expected to solve the problem of lack of nutritious animal feeds and is due for completion in December 2016.

Rwanda received a $5 million grant from the Korean government to build the factory.

According to Felix Nyirishema, the coordinator of Korean projects in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, the factory will be the largest animal feeds production facility in the country. It will produce fish, poultry, piggery and cow feeds.

The facility will be constructed on 1.7 ha plot in Huye’s Sovu Industrial Zone, and will consist of a production unit, store and a laboratory, among others.

Speaking on Thursday during the officiating ceremony in Huye District, Yong-min Park, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Rwanda, said the high price of feeds was hampering the development of livestock industry in the country.

He added that the factory would play a critical role in provision of the much needed animal feeds.

"Sometimes farmers give up on poultry farming because the cost of feeds is higher. The factory will provide feeds for poultry and fish farmers so that they can meet the increasing demand for poultry products and fish,” he said.

The factory aims to produce high quality feeds which can substantially support livestock industry in Rwanda and the region as whole.

He said the ground breaking ceremony marked another step in the Korean government’s cooperation with Rwanda through manufacturing.

Alphonse Munyantwali, the Governor of the Southern Province, thanked the Korean government for building the capacity of Rwandans and said the factory was an added value.

"The largest number of our population is engaged in farming and we have various programmes like Girinka (One-Cow-per- Family) which has contributed to eradicating extreme poverty. But, we are still lacking animal feeds. Therefore, the animal feeds production unit is very important for our farmers. It will help farmers ensure the macro and micro development of our country,” he noted. 

Residents welcomed the factory, saying it would solve the shortage and high price of animal feeds as well as offer some of them jobs.

"I’m a piggery and livestock farmer. Feeds are expensive. We buy a kilogramme at Rwf120 and a pig can eat up to 10 kilogrammes per day depending on its size. When they lack nutritious feeds, pigs do not give the desired produce. We expect this factory to solve the feeds issue,” said Stephanie Mukasine, a resident of Huye Sector.

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