A group of 48 Rwandans were trained in agricultural techniques as one way of bridging the knowledge gap and increase efficiency and production in the agriculture sector.

The two week training covered different areas of agriculture including mushroom growing, soil erosion prevention, upland rice and sericulture.

Prof. Lin Zhanxi, the Director of Rwanda Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre (RATDC) who presided over the closing ceremony of the training said the programme aims at improving lives in rural areas.

“I would like to see new seeds and new technology that increase production, more efficiency and giving more nutritional food to rural farmers,” Prof. Lin said.

Participants were trained in soil and water conservation techniques, upland rice cultivation techniques, and plastic tray raising paddy rice seedlings and directly tossing seedlings techniques.

Other areas included the Juncao mushroom production technique.

Prof. Zhanxi said that in the next three years, the centre intends to train about 600 technicians and 3000 farmers, individuals through cooperatives.

Ndayambaje Théogène a student from NUR said: “Any kind of soil and any space, however small it may be either in the field, under trees, near the house, inside the house can permit mushroom cultivation since it responds to challenges of land scarcity.”

According to Ndayambaje, the broadcasting method in rice cultivation was seen to save time and manpower for farmers and to do alternative things.

The Economic and Commercial consular at the Chinese Embassy in Kigali Li Yaohong, said the training is just a beginning of a series of courses, and pledged his government’s support to provide more support in the training programme.

“China is willing to share her experience in agricultural technology and skills, and adapt the agricultural technology to local conditions to enable local farmers accept it, and to improve yield of crops and provide solutions in food security,” said Yaohong.

Source: By Gertrude Majyambere    The New Times