KAYONZA-Cassava farmers in the Eastern Province are set to receive improved varieties of cassava cuttings from Rwanda Rural Rehabilitation Initiative (RWARRI).

The local NGO, on Thursday, trained at least 100 agricultural officers to facilitate the rapid multiplication of the plant from demonstration gardens established in Kayonza and Rwamagana districts.

Belange Uwineza, the Program Coordinator at RWARRI, said that an effective multiplication and distribution plan has been developed to allow the most suitable variety to be grown.

"We are taking the campaigns to technicians, who will disseminate the knowledge to farmers. There are 60 hectares planted with at least five improved cassava varieties. Training, multiplication and distribution is our goal,” he said.

An agricultural officer from Kirehe District, Claudine Mukabutera, said that the multiplication and distribution of the cassava plant has often not been accorded the technicality it demands.

She further decried the use of traditional farming methods in Kirehe.

"I am going to intensify scientific cassava growing. If local varieties are healthy, how about improved ones? Cassava production will no doubt be multiplied several times in Kirehe,” she said.

Another agronomist from Kayonza, Audace Mutangana Kamanzi, however, said the multiplication may be hampered by an inadequate number of trained personnel.

"This would require much more critical training...it requires even the capacity to control the cassava mosaic disease that is rampant. We manage areas that are so vast to be controlled by a single person,” he said.

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