Editor,

I would like to thank President Paul Kagame for praising Rwandan farmers and for linking their hard work to the strong economic growth rate Rwanda registered in the third quarter of 2014 (during the President’s State of the Nation Address at the opening of the 2014 Umushyikirano yesterday). We know very well that agriculture is a lucrative business that would eventually make this country a food-independent nation.

As he observed, it’s time to embark on modern farming. I would like to suggest that the Ministry of Agriculture sends Rwandans to model countries around the world to learn from their experience and expertise in the field of agriculture and subsequently apply what they have learnt back home. This would help us produce much more even though we have small arable lands compared to many countries. I know that Rwanda can excel in that as well.

This should be among the resolutions of the 2014 Umushyikirano and must be a major target for 2017 (or 2020); and I’m sure that we will see even more encouraging results in the near future. Rwanda should produce all kinds of crops and seriously embark on commercial agriculture.

Jim Rutare

Reaction to the story, "Kagame opens Umushyikirano, delivers State of Nation address” (The New Times, December 18)