To what extent is there still a (knowledge) network around legumes and nitrogen fixation active in your country?
A legume platform is active country-wide, promoting common bean and soyabean crops which are among the priority crops promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources. Post-harvest initiatives increased around precooked beans, and/or using soyabean as raw material to feed factories (oil pressing, animal feed, blended flours for infants and pregnant/breastfeeding mothers). Small business around soyabean products initiated by N2Africa continue, the case of Mukakayonde Gashirabake Claudine in Bugesera is very encouraging, her business continues to grow. For nitrogen fixation, RAB continues to produce inoculants for beans and soyabean, though the lack of a clear distribution channel to farmers is still a threat in the value chain.
To what extent are private sector and/or NGOs still selling/ using / promoting “N2Africa technologies”? Can farmers readily access seeds, inoculants, legume-specific fertilizers?
More private companies have invested in the importation and distribution of agriculture inputs in the country, like YARA which has warehouses in Kigali where local agro dealers buy directly fertilizers sold in their small shops at sector level (e.g. the one owned by Celestin in Musenyi, documented earlier). New initiatives to blend specific fertilizers are also taking place (e.g. ENAS). Farmers still have difficulties to access inoculants.
Are there any interesting new developments taking place around legumes and nitrogen fixation?
AGRA is providing grants around early generation seeds of four selected crops in Rwanda, soyabean and beans are part of this initiative. IITA in consortium with CIAT and RAB have submitted a proposal on soyabean and beans under this opportunity, feedback from AGRA is still awaited. Feed the Future with Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) has a new project in Rwanda-Hinga Weze working on selected crops, beans being one of them.
Speciose Kantengwa, Country coordinator, Rwanda