Agriterra, a Dutch non-government organisation has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources to expand the ‘Bravura strawberry variety’ trials in Rwanda.

Agriterra through HortInvest project introduced two Dutch strawberry varieties namely Bravura and Furore in Rwanda in 2020.

Last year, the Ministry of Agriculture visited the first trial fields operated by KOABUNYA cooperative in Rutsiro district and CODFM cooperative in Muhanga district and requested the NGO to help expand the strawberry trials in the country.

The decision to expand the growth of ‘Bravura variety’ comes after the initial trial results proved to produce higher yields and quality fruits according to Jean Marie Ntakirutimana, the Business Advisor at Agriterra.

"The trials in other districts seek to assess the performance of the Bravura variety on Rwandan soil since it gave good results from the previous trials,” he said.

He said that 70,000 seedlings of ‘Bravura variety’ have to be planted on 1.5 hectare in five districts namely Rwamagana, Rulindo, Muhanga, Rutsiro and Karongi.

At least 10,000 seedlings were planted in Rwamagana district, 10,000 seedlings in Rulindo district, 13,400 in Muhanga and the remaining ones will be planted in the districts of Rutsiro and Karongi

"Agricultural experts from The Netherlands trained local agronomists and cooperatives on strawberry farming. The Ministry of Agriculture supports the journey to make it successful. The crop takes only 90 days to mature and start harvesting,” he said.

According to him, once trials continue to register success in all parts of the country, it will spell good news for farmers.

He said that with the new variety, farmers harvest twice a week in a period of up to three years, before production begins to plummet.

He said that while farmers have been selling their produce at Rwf500 per kilogramme of local strawberry, a kilogramme of Buravura variety goes for Rwf1,500 thanks to its quality.

Reducing imports

Speaking after launching the planting activity of the new variety in Rulindo district’s Mbogo sector on February 5, Peter Ntaganda, the Advisor to the Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources urged farmers to comply with recommended agricultural practices. 

"After the trial phase, we wish to scale up the crop. This could reduce trade deficit as Rwanda imports over 200 tonnes of strawberry per year. This means both the domestic and export market is available,” he said.

If enough trials are successful, he said, the government will work with researchers to launch local seeds multiplication.

The front running farmer cooperatives said they could scale up the variety if trials succeed.

"We have been growing vegetables, maize, Irish Potatoes and we welcome the trials of strawberry farming. Some farmers were growing the crop in this district but yields were low. We expect to see the trials results of the new variety and then scale up. We have learnt that if successful, we could fetch higher income,” said Elie Habimana, the president of COVAMABA cooperative with 2,200 farmers.

Another farmer, Veneranda Uwizeyimana, added that they could not grow strawberries due to lack of seeds.

"Now that we might get seeds, we are ready to grow the crop,” she said.

Sina Gerard, the founder of Urwibutso Enterprises, who is the model commercial farmer and agri-processer in Rulindo district pledged to buy the farmers’ produce.

"We have farmers who supply us but it is not enough. We still lack enough berries for processing. For instance we need strawberry aroma in producing juice, wine, jam, yoghurt, soap, powder and hand sanitizer among others,” he said.

Prosper Mulindwa, the Vice Mayor in charge of economic development in Rulindo district said that the crop could boost economic development of the district.

"Some farmers were growing the crop but we need more to grow it and get higher yields than they have been harvesting. We compare yields of local strawberries and the newly introduced one to know a variety to focus on,” he said.

Besides strawberry, the organisation supports Rwandan farmers’ cooperatives engaged in dairy farming, Irish potatoes, maize, , horticulture and coffee growing among others.