President Paul Kagame has urged members of the private sector to invest more in agriculture to produce enough food for both consumption and sale in order to develop and improve the country’s economy.

The Head of State made the call yesterday while interacting with residents of Nyanza District in the Southern Province, shortly after he visited a major irrigation project developed in Rwabicuma Sector.

The project includes a dam of 1,500,000 cubic metres built at a tune of Rwf6 billion.

The dam will provide water for irrigation to 300 hectares of farmland in three sectors of Nyanza District of Rwabicuma, Nyagisozi and Cyabakamyi.

Local officials say the irrigation dam will boost agricultural productivity in the district, whose agricultural activities in certain areas would be halted during the dry season.

While interacting with thousands of local residents at Nyanza Stadium, President Kagame encouraged them to aim for even greater progress.

"Our achievements have shown that with determination and the right mindset, we can transform our nation. Our goal is to lift our country out of poverty and to achieve prosperity. Africa has been left behind in the last century and it is our responsibility to ensure that we not only catch up with  the rest of the world but go even further,” the President said.

Thanking partners for their role in moving Rwanda forward, Kagame reminded residents that all resources received must be used efficiently adding that external assistance cannot be a substitute for hard work.

"The progress you have made to date is a result of your hard work. No amount of charity can lead to progress unless it builds on our hard work,” he said.

Noting the large number of youth in Nyanza, Kagame pointed to Rwanda’s youthful population as an opportunity for faster progress. Calling on leaders to continue investing in educating the youth, President Kagame encouraged young Rwandans to own their role as leaders of tomorrow with the ability to transform the country.

During the interaction with residents, some thanked him for his good governance of the country which has improved their living standards, others asked him to run for another term when his mandate expires in 2017 while others called on him to address cases of injustice.

The President urged local leaders to urgently solve all outstanding issues brought by residents.

President Kagame promised that Nyanza residents would get a milk processing plant to receive some 400,000 litres of milk produced by farmers in the district.

The Head of State also pledged full government support to residents, with particular emphasis on building the needed infrastructure for development.

The Mayor of Nyanza District, Abdallah Murenzi, affirmed his commitment to rally residents behind development projects.

He also noted that a lot had been achieved in the district, a sign that they can do more to improve their living conditions.

"We have achieved a lot and we have a vision to increase speed in what we are doing,” Murenzi said.

The mayor thanked President Kagame for his visionary leadership, saying it has helped to improve people’s lives in Nyanza District and other parts in the country.