Transform agriculture, Governor tells researchers

MUSANZE - Researchers at the Rwanda Agriculture Research Institute-ISAR, have been asked to partner with the local authorities to transform agriculture in the region.Provincial Governor Aime Bosenibamwe, made the remarks yesterday, after making a tour of ISAR’s facilities at Kinigi. Bosenibamwe urged ISAR to develop solutions that would enable residents to embrace modern farming methods. “This province has the potential to produce cash crops for the whole region, but all our agro-food industries are operating below capacity. While we are talking about food security and related issues, researchers and authorities would have to work together for the purpose of coming up with ways of developing a better system of production,’’ Bosenibamwe said. He said that ISAR should provide direct and technical support to subsistence farmers to ensure provision of inputs and ideas on how to improve the quality and quantity of exports. During the Governor’s tour it was reported that ISAR produces only 2 percent of the total improved seeds required in the country. While responding to the Governor’s advice, researchers in Kinigi revealed that a new type of production of Irish potato mini tubes has been developed and will produce ten times more tubes than the former conventional system. “The tubers are put in a green house to control elements needed to boost output,’’ Ntizo Senkesha, the officer in charge of potato program at ISAR said. Claire Kanyange, the area coordinator of ISAR stations in the Northern Province, said that agriculture researchers are committed to conducting research that improves the livelihoods of low-income farmers. Ends