The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) says that the gap in using fertilizers is a result of high costs since much of the volume is imported from abroad.
In a survey conducted by National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda in 2015, it was established that Rwandan farmers still use traditional seeds other than improved ones used along with fertilizers.
The research found that usage of fertilizers and selected seeds were at 12% and 15% in all seasons.
The gap is also realized in extensive farming with fertilizer and improved seeds usage at 60% and 79% respectively.
The state minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Tony Nsanganira told IGIHE that there is still a gap in using selected seeds caused by lack of knowledge and high costs.
“We know that there is a gap since the majority of seeds are imported and don’t reach everyone. We can’t forget that some farmers have a twisted understanding that they can’t use them,” he said.
He further said that they have crafted programs and policies that encourage breeding seeds inside the country.
“We are putting efforts in breeding seeds inside the country through encouraging investors in seeds breeding,” he said.
Nsanganira said failure to use fertilizers negatively impacts agricultural harvest per unit area.
The research found a gap in land consolidation policy since in the first agricultural season A of 2015 only 21% of land was consolidated.
The research indicates that ordinary farmers used fertilizers at the percentage ranging from 14% to 21 % in the season A and B and 46% in season C which is different from those who practice large scale farming who used fertilizers at 51.5%.
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