Rwanda has launched a major five-year biotechnology initiativestrengthening food security, building scientific capacity, and developing disease-resistant crops, as the country confronts rising pressure from climate change, pests, and limited arable land.
The Rwanda BioCap Project, led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources in partnership with the International Potato Center (CIP) and other global research institutions, will establish a Centre of Excellence for Crop Biotechnology at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) Rubona Station.
The initiative is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is designed to position Rwanda as a regional leader in modern agricultural biotechnology.
Crop biotechnology uses advanced biological and genetic tools, including genetic engineering and gene editing, to improve crop performance.
These technologies help farmers increase yields, enhance resistance to pests and diseases, and build resilience against climate-related stress.
Speaking at a stakeholder workshop in Abuja, Rwanda’s State Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources, Solange Uwituze, stated that the country’s agricultural sector faces mounting challenges from emerging pests such as fall armyworm and mango mealybug, alongside persistent diseases including cassava brown streak disease, potato bacterial wilt, banana Xanthomonas wilt, and Fusarium wilt.
“With a rapidly growing population and limited land, innovation is no longer optional,” Uwituze said.
“Biotechnology offers science-based solutions to protect crops, increase productivity, and ensure sustainable livelihoods for farmers.”
Although agriculture generates nearly 70 per cent of Rwanda’s export earnings and supplies about 90 per cent of national food needs, only 1.4 million hectares of the country’s 26,000 square kilometres are available for farming.
Of this, about 600,000 hectares have been designated as consolidated food basket areas, where advanced technologies such as biotechnology will be deployed to maximise output.
The BioCap Project will initially focus on three staple crops central to Rwanda’s food system: Potato varieties resistant to late blight, Cassava resistant to brown streak virus, and Banana varieties resistant to bacterial and Fusarium wilts.
Florence Uwamahoro, Acting Director General of RAB, stated that the initiative will strengthen seed systems, certification pipelines, and public-private partnerships to ensure improved varieties reach farmers efficiently.
Beyond crop development, the centre will train Rwandan scientists in genetic transformation, genome editing, molecular diagnostics, and biosafety.
According to Eric Magembe, a biotechnologist at CIP, the project will also support scientists through regulatory approval processes to accelerate adoption.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed an estimated $14 million over five years to strengthen research infrastructure and human capacity.
Lawrence Kent, Senior Programme Officer at the Foundation, noted that the investment aims to ensure biotech crops are both productive and safe for farmers and consumers.
Experts say the project could also stimulate private-sector investment, create skilled jobs for young scientists, and support climate-smart farming practices.
Simon Heck, Director General of CIP, stated that the initiative would help position Rwanda as a regional hub for crop biotechnology while strengthening farmer incomes and food security.
Source: allAfrica
Image Credit: RAB Rubona Station
