Twenty richest countries (G20) have started up a project of ‘Tropical Agriculture Platform’ which aims at promoting agriculture in developing countries to help them cope with challenges affecting agriculture including climate change.
Over 100 experts including researchers and others involved in seeking markets of agricultural harvest from over eight countries, have convened in Kigali to seek ways of promoting agriculture in developing countries through emulating some good practices from developed countries.
The Rwanda minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana, has said that agricultural practices have got to change and adapt to climate change with sustainable mitigation interventions.
“The forum is meant to discuss how to better improve agriculture and seek ways of availing avail research findings to farmers and other interested individuals as well. These are not completed by one person or a single institution,” she said.
Mukeshimana says that countries located in tropical region have distinct agricultural challenges exacerbated by climate change.
“This requires combined efforts between people facing similar challenges to find sustainable solutions,” she added.
She said that Rwanda has already gained many achievements in the improvement of agriculture including the program of ‘Twigire Muhinzi,’ (Let farmers be self reliant), agribusiness and supplying quality seeds, among others, emphasizing the need of learning from others’ experiences.
The FAO Country Representative in Rwanda, Attaher Maiga, said that the project has started in eight countries including Rwanda.
“Rwanda has a bright vision and. It is an exemplary country in agricultural reform and increasing harvests to counter food shortage and poverty,” he said.
Maiga says that statistics indicate that over 800 million people across the World suffer from food shortage but comments that the number is getting lower.
He finds that held meetings bring innovations and research to cope with the matter but supported by countries’ governance.
Among those plans, Rwanda and other 7 countries including Angola, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso; Bangladesh, Laos, Guatemala and Honduras have recently received 26 Euro million to boost the capacity of agricultural and create innovations in the sector.
Rwanda will receive one million Euro in that project expected to last three years and half.
20 rich countries of the World this year include Australia, India, Argentina, France, China, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Deutsch,Indonesia,Arabie Saoudite, South Africa , Mexique, Italy, Japan, US,Turkey,England,South Korea and European Union.
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