The electric Robotaxi also referred to as Cybercab will cost less than $30,000 (approximately Frw 40 million), Tesla CEO and tech mogul Elon Musk revealed during the unveiling ceremony held at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on Thursday night.
Musk revealed that, unlike traditional ride-hailing services requiring a driver, the Cybercab will operate fully autonomously.
“You could fall asleep and wake up at your destination,” Musk stated.
The Robotaxi will utilize Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, allowing it to autonomously navigate highways, city streets, intersections, and perform tasks like lane changes, parking, summoning, and responding to traffic signals.
Tesla’s self-driving technology relies on a powerful neural network that gathers data from millions of Tesla vehicles, constantly learning from real-world driving conditions to improve the vehicle’s safety and decision-making capabilities.
The Cybercab, a two-seater with butterfly wing doors and no steering wheel or pedals, lacks a rear window. Musk mentioned that Tesla has produced 21 of these vehicles and that 50 fully autonomous vehicles were present at the launch.
Most of the prototypes displayed at the event featured a gold finish. The Cybercab also showcased matrix-style headlights integrated into a front light bar, similar to the Tesla Cybertruck’s design.
While further details were limited, it’s expected that the Cybercab will be Tesla’s first vehicle to feature wireless induction charging as a standard option.
However, some experts believe that the self driving technology still faces hurdles.
Garrett Nelson, a senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, cautioned, “A car capable of functioning as a self-driving taxi is still several years away, with numerous technological hurdles, safety tests, and regulatory approvals standing in the way.”
Tesla isn’t alone in the race for autonomous taxis. In China, Baidu is testing its own self-driving taxis on public roads. Meanwhile, Waymo, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company, has been operating driverless taxi services, recently reporting over 100,000 weekly rides in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
General Motors’ Cruise resumed its autonomous taxi testing following a previous incident, and Amazon’s Zoox is developing a driverless van without a steering wheel, aiming to launch a paid service soon.
Strettch was among over 70 startups that participated in the contest organized by the Ministry of ICT and the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) under the Public Procurement for Innovation (PPI) framework, which is currently being piloted. This framework aims to enable public institutions to procure solutions from the innovation ecosystem.
The current research and innovation project is the second of four initiatives funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The first project focused on health.
The first phase of the project implementation began on Thursday, October 3, 2024, with a meeting between the partners and Strettch software engineers at the Rwanda Polytechnic Campus in Kicukiro.
The meeting was attended by key officials including Ephrem Musonera, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in Charge of Training, Institutional Development, and Research at Rwanda Polytechnic; Parfait Yongabo, the Division Manager in charge of Institutional Development, Research, and Consultancy at Rwanda Polytechnic; Immaculate Mutesi, the Programme Coordinator for ICT at JICA; Dr. Said Ngoga, Technology Innovation Division Manager at RISA; and representatives from PWC Rwanda.
PWC Rwanda serves as the Contract Manager overseeing the project on behalf of PWC Japan.
Yongabo stated that the project will create digital solutions for institutional challenges, primarily supporting students and lecturers in their mandate of teaching, learning, and research.
The platform will enable students to document their learning journeys, support the implementation of innovative projects for both students and researchers, and foster collaborations.
The platform will also increase the visibility of students to potential employers through the generation of eCVs or e-portfolios.
“The portal will be able to generate e-portfolios where employers can quickly access a summary of the competencies and skills of the students. If they are interested, they can reach out to them for employment opportunities,” Yongabo explained.
Additionally, the platform will be integrated with Artificial Intelligence assistance to increase its efficiency and save students and researchers time.
Yongabo noted that while many of the companies that expressed interest in developing the platform had good solutions, Strettch provided the best solution that responded effectively to the challenge at hand.
Sauvé Jean-Luc, the co-founder and CEO of Strettch, was ecstatic that their startup won the bid, noting that the victory came after intense preparations and sleepless nights.
“We were very happy to hear that we were among the finalists because we also had to pitch and do intensive work after pitching,” Jean-Luc explained.
“More than 70 startups applied. It was very tough. We had a tight timeline and had to work hard to make the most of every hour. We needed to understand the problem and the client’s needs while being creative, too.”
The 21-year-old made the presentation alongside Libériste Clarance, one of the five founding members of the company. Both are graduates of the Rwanda Coding Academy, an institution they credit for their skills and exposure.
“Rwanda Coding Academy trained us from the ground up as engineers and encouraged us to think outside the box. We gained knowledge across different sectors, including networking, cybersecurity, software engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. We learned a lot, so we feel the need to give back more than what is expected,” Jean-Luc said.
The startup founders intend to use the new funding to develop the project and scale up their operations to create even bigger impact.
Immaculate Mutesi, the Programme Coordinator for ICT at JICA, emphasized that the PPI initiative will play a pivotal role in fostering the growth of startups by removing obstacles in traditional procurement.
This will allow emerging companies to compete on equal footing with more established firms, helping them gain valuable experience and contribute to innovation.
“For young startups, tendering their solutions through normal procurement procedures is not possible, as it often requires five to ten years of experience to bid for certain tenders. But with this policy, young startups are being supported to participate regardless of the experience they may lack, so it’s a privilege for JICA to support them,” she quipped.
The 21-year-old software engineers’ AI project, dubbed Bwenge, was ranked first among 18 projects reviewed by judges in the 48-hour competition on Sunday, September 29, 2024, securing them Frw 5 million in cash prizes and VIP passes to the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025.
Bwenge is an AI-powered chatbot that allows any citizen with a phone, even without internet access, to make a call and access digital government services. The bot has been integrated with IremboPay, a payment solution for Rwanda’s one-stop shop for government services, to ensure seamless payments.
“You can ask the bot how to do things, for example, how to start a business in Rwanda, and it will provide you with a detailed guide,” Izabayo explained.
“You can also request an SMS on how to pay for an application, and it will send you a direct text. You can then call, and the system will prompt you to make a payment through mobile money (MOMO).”
Another interesting feature of the chatbot is its telephone agent, which allows two people who speak different languages to have a conversation on a call, with the bot translating for each of them.
Izabayo and Clarence are graduates of the Rwanda Coding Academy and work at Pivot Access and Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), respectively. The two young software developers could not contain their excitement after winning the top prize on their very first attempt at such a competition.
“This journey was really interesting; it showed us what we can accomplish in less than 48 hours. We were thinking about what we could do to provide value to the whole Rwandan society, especially for those who don’t have access to the internet,” Clarence beamed, adding that ironically they were among the last groups to apply for the hackathon, just a few hours before the application deadline.
The duo is open to collaborating with other partners to implement and explore other ideas leveraging artificial intelligence.
“We have the ability to do more things. Now we are using a phone, but one can use WhatsApp to send requests. The possibilities are endless,” Izabayo concluded.
Peter Charles Djomga, Director of Software Engineering at Irembo, said the project has the potential to revolutionize access to information, especially for persons with limited internet access.
“The project can have a huge impact in Rwanda because the way it’s deployed allows people without internet to access information by just calling a phone number. It can have a huge impact in urban and rural areas,” Djomga stated, emphasizing that the pioneering event was organised to create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in Rwanda.
The second place went to a team of four developers with a technology titled Immersive AI. It’s a platform that enables businesses and individuals to create their own AI workflow agents to automate processes and improve productivity. The project developers included Dirac Murairi, Landelin Gihozo, Julien Barezi and Kevin Nkusi.
Somatek AI clinched the third place. The project was also undertaken by group of four young software developers, who built an AI-powered browser extension that simplifies complex technical documentation. The team, comprising Janvier Ntwali, Laura Celine Ishimwe, Dean Daryl Murenzi, and Leny Pascal Ihirwe, developed the extension to assist the government in its recently rolled-out scheme to train one million coders under the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) by 2029.
“Given that most Rwandan youth are low-proficient English speakers, we decided to create a solution for them to transcribe technical documentation to their level for better understanding and learning experiences,” the team explained.
The two teams won Frw 2 million and Frw 1 million, respectively.
In developing practical AI solutions, the participants leveraged large language models (LLMs) and locally built technologies. Teams had the opportunity to access IremboPay APIs to integrate cutting-edge digital payment solutions into their projects. Pindo, a partner of the event, also provided access to its latest speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI models for voice-enabled applications.
Twenty teams comprising 63 individuals were initially selected to participate in the competition from a pool of more than 130 teams, but only 18 teams made it to the final stage and had their projects reviewed by a panel of eminent judges from Irembo, C4IR, and RSSB, among other partners.
Esther Kunda, the Director General of Innovation & Emerging Technologies at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation in Rwanda and Alain Ndayishimiye, Project Lead for AI/ML at C4IR Rwanda, were among the judges.
Ndayishimiye commended the dedication of all the teams in the competition, highlighting the creativity in their projects.
“Over the past 48 hours, we have witnessed remarkable technical ingenuity, creativity, and collaboration, turning many ideas into real MVPs that address some of the country’s most pressing challenges,” he remarked.
He emphasized that every participant, irrespective of the contest’s outcome, should take pride in their accomplishments and push themselves to achieve even more.
“Regardless of the results, you should be proud of your achievements. We look forward to more initiatives like this, aligned with the AI policy, to support local talent and foster meaningful change,” he added.
The teams comprise 63 young software engineers from diverse backgrounds who will be working in groups of two to four, with strong determination to leave their mark in the ever-evolving world of technology.
Speaking during the opening ceremony of the hackathon at the Irembo Campus in Nyarutarama, Peter Charles Djomga, Director of Software Engineering at Irembo, said the 48-hour competition aims to identify talent and create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in society.
“We want to increase the capability of having doers in the IT ecosystem—not only people who can come and talk about AI, but people who can build things that have a real impact in the community,” Djomga stated.
Djomga noted that the 20 teams participating in the contest were selected from a pool of more than 130 teams who expressed interest in the competition.
In under 48 hours, participants, hosted at two Irembo campuses, are expected to harness the power of artificial intelligence and build functional, AI-driven applications to create innovative solutions for public services, healthcare, education, customer service, agriculture, financial inclusion, and cybersecurity, among other fields.
In developing practical AI solutions, the participants will leverage large language models (LLMs) and locally built technologies. Teams will also have the opportunity to access IremboPay APIs to integrate cutting-edge digital payment solutions into their projects. Pindo, a partner of the event, will provide access to its latest speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI models for voice-enabled applications.
Coding for the project kicked off at 7:00 p.m. on Friday and is expected to close at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday when the participants will submit their projects. Thereafter, presentations of the solutions to a panel of distinguished judges will commence and conclude by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, followed by the unveiling of the top innovators.
According to the organizers, the judging criteria for the AI Connect Hackathon will focus on four key areas:
First, impact —judges will assess the project’s long-term potential for growth and its ability to improve people’s lives. Second, creativity —the originality and innovation of the AI application will be evaluated. Third, technical implementation —the quality of the technology’s execution will be taken into account. Finally, presentation —the team’s final pitch will be judged on how compelling and clear it is.
The winning team will receive a cash prize of RWF 5 million and VIP passes to the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025. Second- and third-place teams will receive RWF 2 million and RWF 1 million, respectively.
Besides the cash rewards, all participants will benefit from invaluable exposure, networking opportunities, and potential internships with event sponsors like the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).
Patrick Rusimbi, a fourth-year Information Technology (IT) student at Adventist University Central Africa, expressed his excitement, stating that the facilities and resources provided by partners, including Groq API, will help him bring his long-harboured idea to life and possibly secure funding and other assistance to scale it up to have a worldwide impact.
“I have had my idea for the last six months. I have been yearning for an opportunity to bring it to life. When I saw this hackathon, I saw an opportunity to build something that no one has seen before,” Rusimbi told IGIHE.
In a statement, the technology company said the pioneering event will bring together some of the brightest minds in AI and technology to create solutions that address real-world challenges and drive meaningful impact in Rwanda.
The AI Connect Hackathon will unite 20 teams of AI developers, data scientists, and problem-solvers, challenging them to harness the power of artificial intelligence to create innovative solutions for public services, healthcare, education, customer service, agriculture, financial inclusion, education, and cybersecurity.
In under 48 hours, participants will work to build functional, AI-driven applications that address critical issues affecting Rwandan society.
“This hackathon goes beyond coding prototypes; it’s about unlocking the transformative power of AI to ignite real change where it’s needed most,” said Patrick Ndjientcheu, Irembo’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer.
“We are committed to leveraging AI’s boundless potential to address critical societal challenges, empower communities, and spark innovations that leave a lasting, meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
Throughout the three-day event, participants will leverage large language models (LLMs) and locally built technologies to develop practical AI solutions.
Teams will have the opportunity to access IremboPay APIs to integrate cutting-edge digital payment solutions into their projects. Pindo, a partner of the event, will also provide access to its latest speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI model for voice-enabled applications.
Irembo AI experts will guide participants, helping them refine their ideas and push the boundaries of what AI can achieve.
On the final day, teams will pitch their solutions to a panel of distinguished judges, with the top innovations receiving prestigious recognition.
The judging criteria for the AI Connect Hackathon will focus on four key areas:
First, impact—judges will assess the project’s long-term potential for growth and its ability to improve people’s lives. Second, creativity—the originality and innovation of the AI application will be evaluated. Third, technical implementation—the quality of the technology’s execution will be taken into account. Finally, presentation—the team’s final pitch will be judged on how compelling and clear it is.
{{Prizes
}}
The team that secures first place will receive RWF 5 million and VIP passes to the Global AI Summit on Africa in April 2025. The second-place team will be awarded RWF 2 million, while the third-place team will receive RWF 1 million.
In addition to cash prizes, the winning teams will gain invaluable exposure and recognition for their contributions in using AI for social good.
The event is co-organized with C4IR and supported by several other sponsors, including Pindo, GIZ, Andela, and QT Global Software. Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) will also offer internships to the winning teams, providing them with valuable hands-on experience and an opportunity to apply their solutions in real-world scenarios.
This achievement was highlighted in this year’s Global Cybersecurity Index report by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which ranked Rwanda among the top countries worldwide, placing it in the first tier with a score exceeding 95%.
Rwanda was grouped with 46 other nations that have been designated as “Role Model” countries, demonstrating exemplary commitment to all five pillars of cybersecurity.
Among these were five African nations—Rwanda, Mauritius, Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania—standing alongside global powers such as Japan, the United States, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and South Korea.
The report noted Rwanda’s remarkable achievements across several key areas, starting with its legal framework.
Rwanda has enacted comprehensive laws governing cybercrimes and data protection, which ensure the security of personal data and mitigate the risks of cyberattacks on sensitive information.
This legal foundation fosters trust among both citizens and businesses engaging with digital technologies, positioning the country as a leader in safeguarding its cyberspace.
Another area of distinction is Rwanda’s technical approach to cybersecurity. The country has established the Rwanda Computer Security Incident Response Team (Rw-CSIRT), which plays a critical role in monitoring and addressing potential cybersecurity threats.
This proactive system enables Rwanda to mitigate risks and swiftly respond to any cyber-related incidents, reinforcing its reputation as a secure digital environment.
Organizationally, Rwanda’s National Cybersecurity Strategy was also highlighted in the report as a model framework for national protection.
The strategy outlines a comprehensive plan for defending the country’s cyberspace, with specialized agencies overseeing the implementation of policies and ensuring the nation is well-prepared to face potential technology-related risks.
Rwanda’s commitment to developing skills in cybersecurity was another key factor in its high ranking. The country has made significant investments in educating professionals and students in the field, notably through initiatives like the Rwanda Coding Academy.
This program equips young people with the technical knowledge necessary for success in the growing tech industry, while partnerships with international universities offer Rwandans the opportunity to gain global expertise in cybersecurity.
Moreover, Rwanda’s emphasis on international cooperation further bolsters its cybersecurity landscape. By fostering partnerships with other nations and private entities, Rwanda has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing global cybersecurity challenges.
These collaborative efforts allow the country to stay at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation, continuously strengthening its defenses.
The Global Cybersecurity Index report praised Rwanda’s proactive stance in preventing and addressing cybersecurity threats, particularly highlighting its advancements in legal frameworks, technical infrastructure, and capacity-building initiatives.
Rwanda’s top-tier ranking underscores the country’s forward-thinking approach to digital security and its ongoing commitment to creating a safe, secure environment for its citizens and businesses alike.
To maintain its dominance in the high-end smartphone market, Apple said the company’s AI software will be used to improve Siri, as well as enhance features such as recognizing and identifying objects captured by the phone’s camera.
Apple Intelligence will be available as a free software update. The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in a test version from October as part of iOS 18.1.
The iPhone 16 lineup’s camera system includes a 48MP Fusion camera with a 2x Telephoto option, while a new Ultra Wide camera enables macro photography.
Company executives noted that the phone’s new A18 chip delivers a significant leap in performance and efficiency, allowing for demanding AAA games and providing a major boost in battery life.
A notable feature of the iPhone 16 is a customizable button that can control the camera, in a design similar to previous models.
Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus come in five colours: black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine.
The higher-end iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are made from titanium and feature additional AI capabilities, such as offering suggestions on how to set up photo shoots more effectively and providing audio-editing features aimed at professional-level video production.
Prices for the iPhone 16 start at $799 (about RWF 1.06 million), while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 (about RWF 1.19 million). The devices are available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options.
Apple will start accepting pre-orders for the new iPhones on Friday, September 13, and the devices will be available for purchase on September 20, 2024.
The unveiling of the new phones is expected to further intensify competition in the market, as rivals like South Korea’s Samsung and China’s Huawei continue to release products aimed at delivering powerful, personalized experiences to their users.
Huawei is expected to release its trifold phones in the coming days, with prices starting at more than $2,800. These devices will also come equipped with artificial intelligence features such as text translation and cloud-based content generation.
{{Apple Watch and AirPods
}}
In addition to the iPhone 16, Apple also unveiled new Apple Watches and AirPods with health-focused capabilities and hardware-design improvements.
Apple executives explained that the new watch can detect longer-term health conditions, such as sleep apnea, and can respond to emergencies, like a fall.
China Daily, a Chinese state-run publication, is at the forefront of media innovation, utilizing AI to streamline newsroom operations and enhance content generation.
During a recent visit to the China Daily offices in Beijing, IGIHE learned that the company has integrated AI into its digital news app, responding to the rising global consumption of digital news compared to traditional newspaper reading.
The mobile application allows readers to access daily stories on the go. AI algorithms in the app help tailor news recommendations to individual readers’ interests. An AI-powered translation tool also facilitates the dissemination of news to a global audience.
Additionally, China Daily has a virtual journalist powered by cutting-edge AI technology. Dubbed Yuanxi, she can perform a wide range of tasks, including scanning and analyzing various news sources in real-time, providing the company with up-to-date news trends and information.
Yuanxi has the ability to process vast amounts of information in real-time, scanning multiple sources, analyzing trends, and generating reports far faster than a human could. This accelerates the news-gathering and reporting process, allowing China Daily to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving news landscape.
Ji Tao, a member of the editorial board at China Daily, describes the innovations and use of new technology at the Chinese media house as a unique selling point.
“Don’t leave the paper, just innovate,” he advises, adding, “Maintaining a neutral stance in reporting is also crucial, ensuring unbiased coverage without taking sides.”
Shao Xinying, journalist and editor at the international news desk, highlights the importance of fact-checking and ensuring authenticity and accurate reporting. “We try our best to fact-check each story, for the sake of accuracy and authenticity,” she adds.
Since its launch in 1981, China Daily has established itself as one of the leading print press companies in China. With a flagship newspaper that covers a wide range of topics, including business, sports, world pop news, and more, China Daily has become a household name.
Besides the technology, the management reiterates that commitment to inclusivity and diversity sets the paper apart. The newspaper invites expats to contribute their opinions, providing a unique perspective on global issues.
In a landmark ruling delivered on Monday, August 5, 2024, Federal Judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google violated antitrust law in the US by illegally suppressing competition and stifling innovation.
The judge concurred with the Justice Department’s argument that Google relied on anticompetitive payments to companies such as Apple, Samsung and AT&T to ensure its search engine is enabled by default on most smartphones. The company was reported to have spent $26.3 billion on this campaign in 2021 alone.
Google’s practices were found to have violated Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act in the markets for general search services and general text advertising. The judge noted that the default search engine deals ‘are exclusive and have anticompetitive effects.
Following the recent judgement, Bloomberg reports that the Department of Justice attorneys could ask the presiding judge to order Google to sell portions of its business. This could lead to Google selling off parts of its business, including its Android operating system, Chrome web browser, and advertising platform AdWords, to restore competitive balance in the market.
Citing sources within the DOJ, Bloomberg reports that U.S. authorities are also considering ‘less severe’ options that would require the company to share data with rival search engines like Microsoft’s Bing and DuckDuckGo.
Other options on the table include pushing for restrictions on Google’s artificial intelligence products to prevent the company from gaining an unfair advantage over its rivals.
Meanwhile, as the feds ponder on the next move Googe has already announced plans to appeal the recent judgment.
Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, enjoys a massive user base worldwide, with billions of daily active users across its platforms, including the Google Search Engine, Gmail, Android OS, and YouTube.
The company has in the past defended itself against the accusations, stating that its market dominance is primarily due to its superior products.
“People don’t use Google because they have to — they use it because they want to,” Kent Walker, one of Google’s top lawyers and its president of global affairs, said last year.
He added, “It’s easy to switch your default search engine — we’re long past the era of dial-up internet and CD-ROMs.”
If the DOJ moves forward with the proposal to break up Google, it would be the first time in over two decades that federal authorities have pursued such an action. The last major instance occurred when the DOJ secured a victory in an antitrust case against Microsoft, though the bid to split the company was abandoned in 2001.
Paul Intwari, an engineer working with ETS Construction Company in Kigali, told IGIHE during a recent interview that farmers in various parts of the country are increasingly adopting solar-powered pumps.
Intwari is one of the experts helping farmers adopt new farming techniques by designing and installing solar-powered pump systems. He primarily works with farmers engaged in irrigation farming.
“We start by designing the system and support the farmers through installation and training on how to use it,” Intwari said.
IGIHE caught up with Intwari at the 17th Rwanda Agriculture Show, where ETS Company is showcasing various tools and machines that farmers can use to take their farming to a new level.
A civil engineer by training, the 31-year-old revealed that most of the farmers buying their equipment are engaged in fruit, vegetable, and bean farming.
According to him, most of the farmers embracing solar-powered pumps have done so due to the low maintenance costs. While the initial cost of purchasing a solar system is high, it is relatively inexpensive to maintain in the long run compared to fuel-powered pumps.
“We recommend that clients use solar because it has minimal maintenance costs. Additionally, the pumps reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions,” he said.
To meet the growing demand for solar-powered pumps, ETS Construction Company has partnered with Lorentz, a Germany-based company renowned for manufacturing a wide range of solar pumps.
“We offer various types of pumps. We have small pumps suited for small-scale farmers involved in livestock and irrigation, as well as larger pumps that can serve over 10 hectares, including submersible pumps,” the engineer explained.
The prices for a complete kit comprising a solar panel, pump, and its accessories, including pipes, start from Rwf2 million. Advanced pump systems suitable for large-scale commercial farming range between Rwf100 million and Rwf120 million.
{{Government Subsidies }}
Claude Rugirangoga, an irrigation engineer with Open Construction and Related Services Ltd, said that subsidies offered by the government have significantly contributed to the uptake of solar-powered pumps.
The government has been actively promoting solar energy and sustainable agricultural practices, including providing subsidies and financial support for solar-powered technologies.
Rugirangoga noted that the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), in collaboration with development partners, supports farmers with up to 75% financing to purchase solar kits.
“Farmers interested in the subsidy are required to visit their sector offices and fill out forms to apply for it. If approved, they pay only 25% of the cost for the kits, while the government covers the remaining amount,” Rugirangoga explained.
The grants are also available to farmers seeking to buy tractors to improve their farming. Farmers can access up to 70% financing, according to Didier Nahayo, the Commercial Director at Rwanda Motor.
Rugirangoga, like Intwari, agrees that farming with solar-powered pumps is more profitable compared to petrol or diesel-powered pumps.
“Solar pumps are cost-effective as you make a one-time payment when buying,” he said.
However, he observed that the main disadvantage of the pumps is the limited number of technicians available.
The 17th Rwanda Agriculture Show kicked off at Mulindi/Gasabo Showground on July 31, 2024. The exhibition will close on August 9, 2024.
The show provides farmers and companies with an opportunity to showcase their products and services, while also facilitating extensive networking opportunities.
Many people attend the expos to connect with industry experts, explore the latest technologies and innovations, and engage in meaningful discussions that could lead to new collaborations and business ventures.
“I am here to learn the best farming practices from big farmers,” Francois Bizimana, a pig farmer from Musanze, revealed.
