A plan is underway to implement a $11 million project consisting of horticulture centres that will help reduce post-harvest losses and boost farmers' income, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI).

According to the Ministry, the project includes the establishment of a national processing and export centre for horticulture products. The project will be implemented in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and it is in the approval process between partners.

It will be built in Kigali, along with other four local post-harvest handling centers in Rubavu, Rulindo, Bugesera and Nyagatare districts. It is expected to check the losses horticulture farmers have been incurring.

Under the scheme, vegetables such as garlic, pepper and ginger will be dried for local and international markets, a move that could help avoid losses.

Eugene Kwibuka, the Agriculture Information and Communication Program Manager at MINAGRI, said there are also online platforms under construction and trial in partnership with the private sector including "J-i MUHINZI" for addressing vegetables losses that farmers always decry.

An assessment done by the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), the University of Rwanda, and the National Agricultural Exports Development Board in 2017 showed that more than 40 per cent of fruits and vegetables produced were lost before reaching the consumer.

Horticulture produce is highly perishable. As such, farmers said that they lose money when there is no ready market and effective post-harvest handling means since they resort to selling their produce at a give a way price instead of incurring total losses if it gets rotten.

Farmers from Rubavu District are paid as low as Rwf2,000 for a sack of 100 kilos of onions – in case of large harvests but limited market – meaning that a kilo goes for as low as Rwf20.

This price suggests a reduction of 97 per cent in income compared to when market prices are good as a 100-kilo sack is sold at Rwf80,000.

According to Felix Ndayisaba, District Cash crops Officer, farmers in Nyabihu district faced a loss of over Rwf1.5 billion on 130 hectares of onion crop in the agriculture season C of 2022 – which started in July and ended in September. Onion farmers from Rubavu district also suffered almost the same loss, according to data from the district.

For Jean Claude Murangwabugabo, Rubavu District’s Director of Agriculture and Natural Resources Unit, produce such as onions should have fixed prices set by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

"Drying machines should be available at a government subsidy and brought to the farmers, and encourage the private sector to invest in onion value chain,” Murangwabugabo added.