Rwf325m farm service centre to improve agro-inputs delivery in Eastern Province

By Inspirer Reporter.

A GRAH CARE Farm Service Center that has been established and equipped under the support of Hinga Weze-USAID funded project is expected to improve agro-inputs delivery in Eastern province.

The Rwf325 million one-stop  Farm Service Center  in Kabarore sector offers farm inputs, livestock feeds and training services to smallholder farmers.

Out of the centre’s cost, Hingaweze contributed Rwf73 million.

The Head of AGRAH CARE Farm Service Centre, Jeanne Nyaruyonga, said that  applauded the support adding the centre will be providing quick service delivery with  agro-inputs for farmers and livestock keepers at affordable prices.

” We will be supply fertilizers and different varieties of quality seeds, agro-chemicals. This will increase production and help farmers move from subsistence farming to commercial farming,” she said.

She said that the centre with nine workers is expected to recruit more eight workers in 2022 as a way of improving outreach to farmers and agro-dealers in different areas.

Gatsibo District Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Jean Leonard Sekanyange, said  that the center  was timely and needed to address farmerss concerns that include the delay in agro-inputs delivery because they used to spend long journey seeking fertilizers, seeds and other agro-chemicals.

” It is also good news that the  centre will also train farmers on good agricultural practices and increase productivity. The move will improve food security and farmers also supply the market.,” he said.

François Xavier Rugerinyange, one of the livestock keepers and agro-dealers said that the centre was timely as it will reduce transport cost they used to incur to get agro-inputs from Kigali city and elsewhere.” It is a solution access to animal feeds, medicines, pesticides and others,” he said.

 

Six Farm Service Centres

The centre is one of the one-stop FSCs that  target to earn Rwf1,426,663,920 ($1,374,621) in annual sales from agro-inputs, livestock feeds  AND training services to 50,500 farmers in  six. districts

” Farm Service Centers (FSCs) supported by Hinga Weze-USAID funded project are not only selling quality agro-inputs and agricultural equipment but also promoting nutritious foods at their shops to contribute to improving the nutritional status of children and others,” said Laurence Mukamana, the  Chief of Party at Feed the Future Rwanda Hinga Weze Project.

She said that the six Farm Service Centre are located in the districts of  Nyabihu, Karongi, Ngororero, Bugesera, Gatsibo  and Nyamagabe which Hinga Weze support with Rwf237 million.

Of the six centres, she said, two-namely AGRAH CARE FSC and  KOPABINYA FSC are the biggest ones.

Hinga Weze project seeks to improve productivity, incomes and livelihoods for  700,000 smallholder farmers in ten target districts namely  Bugesera, Gatsibo, Kayonza, and Ngoma (Eastern Province); Karongi, Ngororero, Nyabihu, Nyamasheke, and Rutsiro (Western Province); and Nyamagabe (Southern Province) and across five value chains: high-iron beans, orange flesh sweet potato (OFSP), Irish potato, maize, and horticulture by 2022.