KIGALI - The Minister of Defence Gen. James Kabarebe, accompanied by senators and senior military officers, yesterday visited plantations owned by Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) in Gabiro, Nyagatare District in the Eastern province.

The 4,000 hectare-plantation they visited contains 2,000 hectares of maize, 1,500 hectares of beans, 300 hectares of pineapples among other crops.

Addressing the media shortly after the visit, Kabarebe said that the production within the RDF is in line with the constitutional obligation of contributing to the country’s economic development.

"The main purpose of visiting these activities with the members of the senate was to share with them the progress we have made towards contributing to the economic development of our country,” he said.

"After ensuring maximum security for the country, RDF has embarked on production as one of the measures of contributing towards alleviating Rwandans from poverty,” he stressed.

He added that,  they target to develop and sustain farming using modern technologies through agricultural mechanisation, and modern livestock farming.

Kabarebe revealed that they are in talks with the Ministry of Agriculture to help them apply modern methods of farming such as the use of irrigation and other methods.

Senator Valens Munyabagisha the Chairman of Foreign Affairs Cooperation and Security Committee, hailed the RDF for the initiative, which he said promotes the development of the country.

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