Rwandan farmers say persistent shortages of quality seeds and limited access to climate-resilient crop varieties continue to undermine productivity, even as authorities point to a new project aimed at addressing the challenges.

Farmers growing potatoes, maize, cassava and banana say ageing seed varieties, climate stress and disease outbreaks have reduced yields amid rising production costs.

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Felix Turimumahoro, president of the Irish Potato Farmers Association of Rwanda (IABIRWA), said access to certified seed remains limited, particularly for cooperatives not authorised to multiply varieties.

"Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) provides different varieties, but some do not perform well or are not sustainable,” he said.

IABIRWA brings together 78 cooperatives across seven districts, but only six are licensed to duplicate seed due to land requirements.

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"Only cooperatives operating on at least five hectares are allowed to do seed multiplication. Most farmers do not own that much land, and those who do often prioritise their own farms,” Turimumahoro said.

Popular potato varieties such as Kinigi and Kirundo dominate production, but prices fluctuate sharply. Kinigi seed currently costs about Rwf1,200 per kilogramme, while ware potatoes sell for around Rwf450 at farm gate prices, down from about Rwf550 in the previous season.

Turimumahoro said yields are declining despite farm management practices, citing erratic rainfall, ageing seed and pest pressure.

"In Season A last year, I harvested about 15.2 tonnes per hectare. This season it dropped to 11.3 tonnes, yet the level of care was the same,” he said.

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Maize farmers report similar challenges. Evariste Tugirinshuti, president of the Federation of Maize Farmers’ Cooperatives, said seed quality and resilience remain key concerns.

"Seeds are available, but some varieties do not yield well because they are not properly adapted,” he said.

Imported hybrids such as WH403 and WH507, which cost about Rwf1,600 per kilogramme, are considered more resilient than locally available varieties such as RHM 1402, 1407 and 1409, which sell at about Rwf785.

"Both can produce five to six tonnes from 24 kilogrammes of seed, but their resilience is not the same,” Tugirinshuti said, noting that the more resilient varieties are not easily accessible due to high costs.

For cassava farmers, disease resistance remains their biggest concern. Martin Harerimana, president of a federation of cassava farmers’ cooperatives operating in Kamonyi, Nyanza, Ruhango, Muhanga and Bugesera districts, said shortages are not the main issue.

"The problem is not the availability of varieties, but the lack of those that can resist disease,” he said.

He cited cassava brown streak disease, locally known as Kabore, as the most destructive challenge facing farmers.

"There is no fungicide for this disease. We only use pesticides to control pests, which leaves farmers exposed to major losses,” Harerimana said.

Market instability has worsened the situation. Fresh cassava sells for Rwf80-100 per kilogramme, while dried cassava suitable for flour fetches about Rwf300, yet many cooperatives lack processing capacity.

Banana farmers face similar struggles. Euphrasie Mukankaka, a farmer in Nzige Sector, Rwamagana District, said Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), a bacterial disease, has devastated plantations for years.

"We have been suffering since around 2018. We still do not have varieties that resist BXW, and the varieties we have tried just couldn't withstand it,” she said.

She noted uprooting and burying infected plants remains the only option, though it is unsustainable.

A project that offers hope

To address these challenges, the government has launched the Rwanda Biotech Capacity Building (BioCap) Project.

Olivier Kamana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the five-year project will establish a biotechnology centre at the RAB station in Rubona, Huye District.

"The project will focus on banana, cassava and Irish potato by strengthening the resilience of varieties farmers already prefer,” Kamana said.

The official added that the initiative will train seed multipliers and support advanced research to ensure a stable supply of improved seed.

Hugo Campos, the Deputy Director General for Science and Innovation at International Potato Center (CIP), a key partner in the project, said the initiative could lead to significant changes in Rwanda’s food security.

"With support from the Gates Foundation, Rwanda is establishing a system that will accelerate the development of biotech tools for farmers,” Campos said.

He added that the project will initially focus on Irish potato, cassava and banana, targeting major diseases such as late blight for potatoes, cassava brown streak disease and the bacterial wilt, which affects banana plantations.

"These technologies will help farmers increase productivity while reducing reliance on chemical pesticides,” Campos said.

Campos added that crops developed under the project will meet food safety and environmental standards and are equivalent to conventionally bred varieties.

Eric Magembe, a Senior Researcher at CIP, said the project will enable Rwandans to develop and release improved crop varieties locally.

"This project will build capacity for Rwandans to develop improved crops and guide them through the approval process so that varieties reach farmers,” Magembe said.

He added the centre will train Master’s and PhD students and equip RAB scientists with advanced skills.