The Regional East Africa Community Trade in Staples Project- Phase II (REACTS-II), was a 3 years’ flagship regional project (April 2018-March 2021) implemented by Kilimo Trust in Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya with funding from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). In Rwanda, REACTS II supported smallholder farming households and other value chain actors in 12 districts to take advantage of structured national, regional, and opportunistic international markets for beans and rice. The project aimed at strengthening and expanding access to input and output markets as well as improving value chain coordination. On Friday 26th March 2021, REACTS II project team paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor of Rusizi district in his office. In his remarks, Ephrem KAYUMBA, the mayor of Rusizi district congratulated the leadership of Kilimo Trust for the successful implementation of REACTS II project. He was very grateful to AGRA for funding such a unique initiative that has supported agriculture in Rusizi district, particularly in rice value chain. Leoncie KANKINDI, the Vice Mayor in charge of economic affairs commended achievements made in supporting access to postharvest infrastructure and equipment that have greatly improved quality and reduced post-harvest losses of rice produced in Bugarama wetland. Rusizi district delegation led by the vice mayor in charge of economic affairs, Kilimo Trust team, RAB, FUCORIRWA, and the leaders of Rice Millers’ Forum visited some REACTS II partners and beneficiaries in Rusizi district. Among other interventions, REACTS II project in partnership with farmer cooperatives constructed 4,959 square meters of paddy drying facilities in Rusizi district: 2,873 sqm drying slab was constructed for KEHMU cooperative whose total membership is 2,121 (887 female) and 2,086 sqm drying facility was constructed for KOJMU cooperative that has 1,416 members (283 female). REACTS II project also supported the construction of a storage facility at COOPRORIKI cooperative and contributed seven (7) paddy handling machines (5 winnowers and 2 threshers) accessed by KOIMUNYA cooperative both for use by members of the cooperative and to create awareness about the technology to other paddy producers in Bugarama valley. According to Evariste Nduwimana, the chairman of KOJMU cooperative, 70% of all their paddy for 2021A (about 500 tons) was dried on the 2,086 sqm drying slab constructed with support from REACTS II project. He thanked Kilimo Trust for the strategic intervention because the drying facility was constructed in a production zone that contributes most of the paddy supplied by the cooperative. Josephine Uwibambe, the Managing Director of Mashyuza Rice Mill, a milling factory in Bugarama commended REACTS II impact in improving quality and drying time of paddy at cooperatives’ level. She pointed out that the clean and quality paddy supplied by cooperatives reduced frequency and cost of machinery maintenance compared to the costs incurred previously because paddy would be poorly dried and mixed with stones, grass and sand. REACTS II has supported rice and beans farmers and other value chain actors in 12 districts across Rwanda, especially in upgrading post-harvest infrastructure; supporting access to labor-saving technologies such as multi-crop threshers, single-crop threshers, winnowers, and harvesters; configurations of rice milling machines to improve milling efficiency, reduce factory loses & avoid workplace hazards; Good agricultural practices and soil fertility management (including use of fertilizers based on soil nutrient requirements); Improving governance and financial management for partnering cooperatives; and seasonal joint progress review and planning between buyers, cooperatives and RAB to ensure coordinated efforts and timely access to seed. Storage facility constructed by Kilimo Trust through REACTS II project in partnership with COPRORIKI cooperative in Rusizi district. Paddy drying facility constructed by Kilimo Trust through REACTS II project in partnership with KOJMU cooperative, Rusizi district. Threshers and winnowers contributed by REACTS II to KOIMUNYA cooperative, Rusizi district. The district delegation led by the vice mayor and REACTS II team during the visit to a rice factory in Rusizi district. Paddy drying facility constructed by Kilimo Trust through REACTS II project in partnership with KEHMU cooperative, Rusizi district
