The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Telesphore Ndabamenye, on Thursday, February 19, presented before Parliament a draft law on animal husbandry, animal health and fisheries, which is designed to strengthen animal genetic conservation and tighten controls on zoonotic diseases. All 70 lawmakers in attendance approved the relevance of the bill, allowing further scrutiny the responsible parliamentary committee before the lower chamber votes on it. ALSO READ: What to know about new bill on animal welfare, fisheries The draft law seeks to consolidate four existing laws into a single legislation regulating animal husbandry, animal health and fisheries. The laws are the 2008 law on the prevention and control of contagious diseases in domestic animals, the 2008 law governing aquaculture and fishing, the 2002 law on domestic animal identification, and the 2013 law on the organisation and functioning of beekeeping. ALSO READ: How Rwanda’s farming practices are evolving to meet modern demands According to the agriculture minister, the consolidation is driven by gaps and inconsistencies in the current legal regime, including outdated institutional references. Some of the laws still cite the former Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority, which was replaced by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board. The minister said the existing framework also fails to adequately address critical areas such as animal welfare, regulation of veterinary practice, animal movement and transportation, as well as key components of animal husbandry including genetic improvement, conservation of indigenous breeds, animal feed value chains and traceability of livestock and animal products. ALSO READ: Feed shortages, imports drive up costs for livestock farmers Ndabamenye said the current laws fall short of international requirements set by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), particularly in areas related to animal disease control, meat transportation and veterinary standards. “The bill will strengthen animal identification and traceability systems, improve genetic conservation of indigenous breeds, regulate animal movement and transport, and tighten controls on uninspected or unsafe animal products entering the market,” Ndabamenye told Parliament. MPs raise public health, farmer welfare concerns During the session, lawmakers highlighted the impact of zoonotic animal diseases on farmers’ livelihoods and public health. MP Phoebe Kanyange questioned the measures in place to curb the spread of diseases in cows. She also highlighted the shortage of fish fingerlings. MP Eliane Mukarusagara said losses caused by contagious diseases disproportionately affect farmers, who often lack the means to meet disease control requirements. She also sought clarity on disease response protocols, including circumstances under which infected animals should be burned or buried, whether government support would be provided to farmers unable to afford incineration equipment, and how burial sites would be regulated to prevent environmental and soil contamination. In response, Ndabamenye said the ministry plans to categorise and register farmers along production chains to enable more targeted support. “We want farmers to be identified and organised by category. For example, young people engaged in poultry farming can be equipped with skills to better manage diseases. This approach can be extended across other livestock value chains,” he said. On public health risks, the minister noted that offences such as selling meat from exhumed animals are already addressed under existing public health laws, adding that the new legislation strengthens enforcement mechanisms. He also said the number of veterinarians will be increased gradually to improve disease surveillance, inspection and farmer support nationwide. On fisheries, he explained that engagement with private investors is already showing results. Recent figures indicate that fish production has increased by 34 per cent, highlighting the need for further investment if interest grows, Ndabamenye said. The ministry has collaborated with the private sector, including efforts at Kigembe fish farm, where private investors have significantly increased the production of fish fingerlings. Technological advancements will also be considered in the bill, he added.
