KIGALI - With three months to the harvest of 600 hectares of cassava belonging to the Rwandan Defence Forces (RDF) in Mayange Sector, Bugesera District, the government plans to set up five cassava processing plants.

The announcement was made, Tuesday, during a visit to the farm by the Ministers of Defence, Gen. James Kabarebe, Agriculture, Dr. Agnes Kalibata and Trade, Monique Nsanzabaganwa

"We have committed ourselves to find means to set up five small-scale industries of not more than Rwf 300m in value,” Nsanzabaganwa said. 

According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, the project aims to transform the cassava into flour so that it can be exported.

Kalibata noted that the partnership between the ministries aims to improve on the quality of produce to fight hunger in the region and encourage the practice of land consolidation.

Each of the 600 hectares is expected to produce 25 tonnes of cassava. The RDF Cassava project, that was launched late last year, is estimated at Rwf 200m.

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