Why youth should embrace Agroecology

By Elias Hakizimana.

In a bid to have sustainable food systems and unlock business opportunities, young Agri-preneurs  are urged to embrace Agroecology practices, which are at the fore-front in ensuring that Rwandans eat a healthy diet.

Agroecology consists of all practices of Organic farming or, the application of ecological principles to agricultural systems and practices, or the branch of science concerned with this. This farming methods increases yields while reducing environmental impacts such as loss of important insects on agriculture like bees.

During the Youth and Agroecology National Summit 2020 that began in Kigali on Friday, October 16th, 2020; various officials and agriculture promoters embarked on the fact that youth should embrace Agroecology as the best way of sustaining food systems.

The Summit has the theme: “Agroecology as a pathway towards sustainable food systems and unlocking business opportunities for youth.” It was organized by AgriProFocus Rwanda under Youth in Agroecology and Business Learning Track Africa (YALTA) Initiative in collaboration with different partners including the Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF).

AgriProFocus is an international multi-stakeholder network in the Agri-food sector.

Alex Uwizeye, Country Coordinator of AgriProFocus said that people need to embrace smart agricultural practices in order to satisfy food security needs for a human being.

He called for a joint collaboration with various government entities and youth networks to generate food in a sustainable way.

Uwizeye said that the summit that runns from October 16 to 22, 2020 is an opportunity to co-create network and youth employment.

“We are here to co-create the network and to create jobs for the youths. This summit sets a step for next activities as we celebrate the World Food Day. We plan to create network and related business to Agroecology as the way forward and we need to connect the right people to the right knowledge.” He said.

Uwizeye noted that the Summit has a competition component whereby young people stand a chance to benefit from YALTA’s grant of more than €1 million (more than Rwf1 billion) to be shared with four countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda – where the initiative works.

“Young people’s organic farming projects will compete and the winning ones will receive a grant of about €2,500 (over Rwf2.5 million), each. We want to support as many people as possible, that is why the funding is somehow small,” he said.

Jean-Claude Musabyimana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) said that there is a need to continue changing youth mindset under the Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF) to ensure that Agroecology principles are met.

“There is a plan in place to help youth shape ideas and come up with bankable projects. The Ministry and the Government of Rwanda in general is collaborating with youth network to promote activities related to agriculture promotion and innovation. These include the cash grant to support youth innovation in agriculture under the Business Development Fund (BDF) where youth get over 70 percent grant for their projects. This is more likely to create more off-farm jobs.”Musabyimana said.

He called up on youth to join efforts in creating jobs during this time the world and Rwanda are facing Covid-19 pandemic in order to cope with its impacts on economy.

Feasibility

In 2016, Dominique Xavio Imbabazi, Musanze district resident engaged in the commercial production of organic fertilizers from biowastes such as chicken waste, banana and potato peels, tea bags, and eggshells by using worms that decompose them to produce manure.

He said that the demand for such manure that responds to farmers’ needs to produce more and healthy foods requires him much efforts as his production capacity is still low.

 

“I produce about 1 tonne of compost (organic fertiliser) per day, while the demand is too big as sometimes it can go even beyond 100 tonnes per week,”  

This young man graduated at the University of Rwanda’s College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM) in 2016 and earns about $10,000 (about Rwf9 million) per month from organic fertiliser sales, and consultancy services.