A variety of Chinese dry land rice referred to as ‘golden Mountain No.1’, introduced recently in Rwanda, has turned out to be very promising, an agronomist has said. This type of rice was introduced by Jun Cao Technology in the country in 2006.

With time, it is hoped that the fast growing and draught resistant rice will increase production. It is also hoped that it will save the over cultivated marshlands from being degraded and also improve household incomes.

Lin Zhansen, a Jun Cao Technology expert said three tonnes of rice have so far been harvested from demonstration gardens in Rwamagana in Eastern region and Kabuye in Kigali. The yield was distributed free of charge to rural poor farmers.

Comparing the harvest time, upland rice takes only 130 days (four months) while water rice takes about 6 months to mature.

If well managed and good seeds distributed it’s projected that 5 to 6 tonnes of rice can be produced per hectare.

"The project was introduced in the Republican of New Guinea and registered success—a hectare would produce 8.5 tonnes,” Lin Zhansen explained the potential Golden Mountain No.1 rice has.

More studies
Being a new crop, the expert said that they are still monitoring the climate on a daily basis to identify which seasons are suitable for upland rice.

"Upland rice is a very selective crop. It requires a comprehensive technology to know the whole process from the nursery to the harvesting,” said Zhansen.

He said Kabuye, the demonstration centre for upland rice will soon have a laboratory for data collection and analysis.

The laboratory will be useful in developing other rice varieties with higher yield and tolerance to pests and diseases. While a training centre is planned to be established in Butare Western region to improve rice management which in turn will increase production.

Information available indicates that 70 percent of the rice consumed in the country is locally produced.

Big employer
Rice is a major source of income for about 100 million households in Asia and Africa.

Other rural people generate income from producing, servicing, and cultivation and harvest operations. Women play important roles in both rice production and post-harvest activities.

It’s said that in the developing world as a whole, rice provides 27 per cent of dietary energy supply and 20 per cent of dietary protein intake.

Rice and its by-products are used for making straw and rope, paper, wine, crackers, beer, cosmetics, packing material, and even toothpaste.

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