A new legislation on plant health protection passed by Parliament is expected to enhance strategies and measures to control plant pests and diseases.

The draft law was adopted by Parliament on February 25.

"It’s within the framework of determining modalities for plant health protection and providing strategies to fight and prevent spread of plant pests or diseases and issues connected with living organisms,” Beatrice Uwumukiza, the director-general for agriculture and livestock inspection at the Ministry of Agriculture, said.

She said the legislation, once published in the Official Gazette, will help stop spread of pests and diseases through international trade, improve quality and standards of agricultural exports, and align with the provisions of the international treaty on agribusiness and plant health.

It will also facilitate inspection and control of pests and diseases while protecting farmers from any losses resulting from importation or exportation of substandard agricultural products, Uwumukiza said.

Damien Manirakiza, a coffee farmer and managing director of Gift Coffee company in Gisagara District, said the law will promote standards of agricultural products.

"Some dealers serve us with substandard agriculture inputs like seeds, which affects the quality of produce. Now anything intended to be used for agriculture is to be inspected, which will ensure safe and quality inputs,” he said.

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