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Agri-Business 

Monday, April 07, 2014 

World Bank to boost agriculture

Last week, Amb. Claver Gatete, the Rwanda Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and World Bank Country Manager, Carolyn Turk, signed the first $45 million dollars of the $60 million grant intended for improving Rwanda’s road infrastructure and agricultural productivity. MINECOFIN PHOTO


KIGALI, Rwanda - The Rwanda agriculture sector is to be improved more with the $60.9million donated by the World Bank. The fund willsupport the Feeder Road Development Project (FRDP), plus the third Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP).

This was said last week during the signing of the International Development Association (IDA) financial agreement signed between the government of Rwanda and World Bank.

Amb. Claver Gatete Minister of Finance said: “Under the FRDP which will cover over $45million, conditions of over 270 kilometer of all season roads which connect to major agricultural markets will be improved.” 

In the agreement the $15.9million will go to the RSSP with main aim of increasing and diversifying agriculture productivity.

Gatete said agricultural production and food security will therefore be improved through the crop intensification program plus post-harvest loss reduction which affects many farmers.

He said such funds will help reduce unemployment in rural areas since it’s the rural people that will participate in both programmes.

Agriculture involves different projects such as irrigation and dealing soil erosion and therefore with such funds these were going to be worked on.

“As WB we want to ensure sustainable improvement of farmers welfare and this can only be achieved through boosting agricultural productivity and easing transportation for both farmers and their produce to market place,” WB Country manager Carolyn Turk said.

She said construction of feeder roads will contribute to development of rural areas since people will be able to move to different destinations easily.

The districts to benefits from this programme are four and these include Rwamagana where 93kms of roads will be constructed, Karongi with 65kms, Nyamasheke 50kms, and Gisagara which has 62km.

FRDP is therefore expected to benefit over 439.000 people who are mainly women standing at 50%, and the RSSP is expected to benefit over 101.500 rural resident who consist of 42% women by the year 2018.


By Agnes Bateta, Monday, April 07th, 2014