The Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on a move to decentralise the national grain strategic reserve down to the sector level.

The move is expected to enhance food security readiness in case of famine.

Emmanuel Kayiranga, the chairperson of post-harvest handling and storage taskforce at the ministry, said the initiative will not only ensure Rwandans are food secure but also will promote structured grain trade.

"Our farmers used to sell their produce directly after harvesting because they do not have storage facilities. For now, we are setting up needed infrastructure like drying sheds, warehouses for cooperatives. We want every sector to have a grain strategic reserve that will feed a reserve at the district level that will also be used to feed the national reserve,” Kayiranga said.

"This will ensure we are food secure even in case of famine as the current weather and climate change is causing hazards in different regions. Currently, seven cooperatives have got warehouses and drying sheds in Nyagatare, Ngoma and Kirehe districts. This is the model that will be scaled up across the country.”

So far, 157 drying grounds, 42 warehouses and four metallic silos have been constructed across the country with a total storage capacity of 134,110 metric tonnes.

A total of 63,963 sheeting, 4,947 shellers and 782 hermetic grain storage bags have also been distributed to farmers in order to minimise post harvest losses.

National Strategic Grain Reserves are currenly used to support people in the regions facing famine due to climate change effects in some parts of Eastern Province through the food for work programme, where about 827 metric tonnes of maize and 551 metric tonnes of beans have been delivered.

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