Rwanda ’s floriculture industriousness and gardening sub - sector have grown significantly over the last few years . Rwanda ’s horticulture Italian sandwich - sector ( mainly flowers , vegetable , and fruits ) generate over $ 28.79 million , slenderly higher than the $ 28.7 million in the previous fiscal year , consort to data from NAEB .
According to NAEB agriculture Export Performance Report 2020/2021[i ] , traditional commodities , mainly coffee tree and tea , did not perform well as have a bun in the oven due to the effects of COVID-19 , which lead to the ending of coffee consumer company and consequently reduced Rwanda ’s coffee exports by 14.41 % .
Surprisingly , as coffee export volumes keep down , efflorescence exportation volumes increased by 58.79 % in the same full point . Although the performance came as a surprise to many , it is part of Rwanda ’s larger strategic plan for agriculture transformation ( 2018 - 2024 ) . The strategical plan determine out an challenging target of exporting 34,104,000 stems of flush in 2024 compared to 8,500,000 in 2018 . The floriculture industriousness is increasingly becoming a more attractive industry to invest in .
Oxfam is one of the actors in the floriculture industry in Rwanda , supporting smallholder farmers and farmer cooperatives to increase production and bloom exporter to the international market . In this article , Godfrey Gakwandi , from Oxfam Rwanda , explains more about the floriculture industriousness in Rwanda , its growing , potential , future , and challenges .
Margueritte Mukamazimpaka , James Leonard Farmer Rulindo District Augustin Gasana , James Leonard Farmer Rulindo District Janvier Ugeziwe , Duhamic - ADRI Godfrey Gakwandi , Oxfam
Floriculture in RwandaOver the preceding 10 , not much tending was given to gardening in general , explicate Gakwandi . " James Leonard Farmer used to grow vegetable and flowers for menage use , and they never knew it could be a likely source of income . " But in 2014 , the government start to calculate more into this submarine - sphere . Using the baseline figure of 8.500,000 stems of flower harvested in 2018 , which were mainly export to the Netherlands , the government rapidly discovered that flower cultivation has immense potential for Rwanda ’s exports . The flush exporter mainly dealt in rosaceous motley , as summer flowers were mostly sold on the local market , yet they are grown in the rural area .
Increase blossom exportsIn 2020 , with funding from the European Union ( EU ) , Oxfam receive a grant gentle " Sustainable keep in Horticulture Value Chains ( 2020 - 2024 ) " that direct to unlock the potential of Rwanda ’s horticultural value chain ( HVC ) to sustainably add good and high - timbre products to the local , regional , and international markets . The funding is mean to support the horticulture sub - sector , include the yield of flowers , especially summertime flowers . " They were usually only used for local events and not for exports . However , summertime blossom export have huge potential because the climatical conditions in Rwanda are very suited for summertime flower cultivation . " So , Oxfam originate supporting the flower manufacture across the value Ernst Boris Chain . " To enable farmers to increase product , they postulate the right ejaculate , fertilizer , and so on , but they also need training on modern husbandry technologies that will allow farmers to increase the production on the same land size . "
The project work with other actors in flower value Chain , like aggregators and exporter , that helped get at post - harvest facilities – frigid chains to reduce post - harvest going , support them to take on packaging , and educate them on how to manage the frigid room . " We offer exporters grants to allow them to increase their export book . However , one of the Hiram Ulysses Grant conditions is that they buy from bloom farmer co-op under the " contract bridge land model . So far , under this theoretical account , TM Quality Production Ltd and Bright Harvest Limited – both summer flower exporters to Europe - have received financial grants from our organization to increase flower exports . This way , the entire chain will benefit . "
Expectations exceeded – government invests in industry"The result surpass everyone ’s expectations , " he continues . " During the pandemic , the flower sale skyrocketed , exceeding the cash crops that used to be of most economic value for the authorities . " So , the government decided to make a large investment for this industriousness to grow even further . " In late 2022 , the political science bought a shipment airline to ease the exportation of blossom and other farming crops and commodities . Dubai is the first goal , and more are expected to be add together shortly . " concord to Gakwandi , this investment will create huge chance for the industry to maturate even more in the future . " Currently , most of the flowers go to outside address via the Netherlands . Other destinations may be impart in 2023 and afford up more market place opportunity , making Rwandan bloom more private-enterprise on the marketplace . "
Potential recognizedThe potential difference for the horticulture manufacture in Rwanda is recognized by many . " Besides the investment in the airline business , the governing is also allocating body politic so that this industry can produce . The EU , which is one of the great funders of the agricultural sphere in Rwanda , committed to financing initiatives to boost the sub - sector development . Such projects let in the Kigali wholesale grocery on land for horticulture commodities and improved cleaning , grading , drying , and computer storage of horticultural products to reduce post - harvest loss and increase export pay . "
He explain how the government put up a fiscal start to alleviate farming financing in which specific loan products for smallholder farmer and other value string actors are given to access and invest in the flower industriousness and agriculture sphere . " Similarly , indemnity companies are now provide insurance policy plow gardening good , for example , chili , tomatoes , and other nutrient crops . flower may be added to the list soon , given the character they play in export . These are all signs that the industry is considered dependable . "
shiny futureThe developments name above are all indicator that the future of the flower industry is bright in Rwanda . " Besides the loyalty from the side of the government , the Fannie Farmer have a newfangled mentality . Before , flowers , in particular summer flowers , were grow for local use , but now that they know that it is a valuable harvest , Fannie Farmer of other crops are even reposition to flowers and are extend land area . After all , after planting , one can glean summer flowers every week , whereas Zea mays , for representative , has to be harvested all at once after three months of patiently waiting . "
ChallengesHowever , there are some challenges concerning the logistics . " The cold-blooded Ernst Boris Chain can be improve . We take mood - control vehicles that embark the efflorescence from the stale rooms , but these are very expensive . Also , when bet at transport costs to the end destination , as we are landlocked , most of our exportation go by air whereas the style is going toward Department of Transportation by sea , for reduce the carbon emission . "
Packaging is another challenge . " At the moment , the majority is import , and prices are therefore very high . We call for more investors so that more can be produced locally . "
“ Though Rwanda ’s trade good are naturally constitutional , international securities industry have rules and regulations on certification that are often expensive to abide by , ” he concludes .
For more informationGodfrey GakwandiOxfamEmail:[email protected]https://www.oxfam.org.uk/
[ i]https://naeb.gov.rw / fileadmin / Reports - Annual / NARRATIVE_ANNUAL_REPORT_2020 - 2021.pdf
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