AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd Cultivates Climate Smart Agriculture knowledge for AEE Rwanda.

Feb. 7, 2024, 2:34 p.m.

Climate change is a major challenge for agriculture and food security in Rwanda and beyond. To cope with its impacts and contribute to its mitigation, farmers and agribusinesses need to adopt climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices that can increase productivity, resilience, and sustainability.

Recognizing the need to enhance its project staff's capacity in climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, AEE Rwanda, a non-governmental organization dedicated to uplifting rural communities through holistic development, partnered with AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd. - a recognized leader in CSA implementation in Rwanda. This collaboration aimed to equip project staff with the knowledge and skills required to effectively support rural communities in adopting sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.

The training, which took place on January 9th and 10th, 2024, was part of the "Catalyzing Market Prospects for Horticulture Smallholder Farmers, Small and Medium Enterprises in Rwanda" project, funded by the European Union and implemented by AEE Rwanda. The project aims to enhance the competitiveness and market access of 30,000 horticulture smallholder farmers and SMEs in Rwanda, by promoting commercialization and value addition for agricultural commodities.

Figure 1: AEE, Rwanda project staffs are taking notes During Training at AGRIRESEARSCH UNGUKA Ltd office

 What did the participants learn?

The training covered various aspects of CSA and its principles, Vermicomposting and its applications, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with a focus on pest and disease control in key crops: chilli, eggplant, cucumber, French beans, tomatoes, pineapple, sweet pepper, and onions, which are among the target commodities of the project.

The training went beyond the classroom, incorporating a field visit to AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd's climate-smart agriculture model farm. Here, participants witnessed firsthand the practical implementation of CSA practices, vermicomposting & its applications and pest and diseases observation for horticultural crops.

Figure 2: Learning possible climate smart agriculture practice at AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd Climate Smart Agriculture model farm.

What did the participants say?

The participants expressed their appreciation and satisfaction with the training, which they found to be relevant, practical, and informative. They also shared their feedback and suggestions for improvement, such as having more time for field visits, more interactive sessions, and more follow-up support.

Simeon Uwiringiye, Project Manager at AEE Rwanda, expressed his gratitude to AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd at the closing ceremony. He commended the training for providing valuable skills and knowledge in sustainable agriculture, which AEE Rwanda staff will utilize in their future endeavors to empower Rwandan farmers and SMEs.

At the end of the training, AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd awarded certificates of completion.

Figure 3: : General Secretary of AGRIRESAERCH UNGUKA Ltd is Awarding a Certificate of completion to Simeon UWIRINGIYE, A project Manager at AEE-Rwanda.

What is next?

The training was a success, but it was only the beginning of a long-term collaboration between AGRIRESEARCH UNGUKA Ltd and AEE Rwanda. The two organizations will continue to work together to scale up and disseminate CSA practices among horticulture smallholder farmers and SMEs in Rwanda, through the project and beyond. Together, we hope to contribute to the vision of a climate-smart, resilient, and prosperous agricultural sector in Rwanda.