The National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) recently unveiled an ambitious strategy designed to help more than double the country’s industrial output in the medium-term. The six-month old institution seeks to foster industrial growth across Rwanda under its community processing centres model. This is a smart strategy considering that, besides promoting industrialisation across the country, it will help create the much-needed jobs and reduce the prevalent rural-urban migration. The processing centres will also act as vehicles of skills transfer in the long-run, and provide market for residents. Already, such centres are operational in Nyabihu, Burera, Gatsibo and Rwamagana districts, crucially providing dairy farmers, and Irish potato and banana growers in those areas a ready market for their produce. The multiplier effect that comes with the establishment of these industrial centres will ultimately help improve people’s living standards and help the country reach its development targets in the coming years. Now NIRDA needs to accelerate the rollout of the community processing centres nationwide to extend the benefits to more Rwandans who will, in turn, contribute more toward the country’s economic growth. It is also laudable that NIRDA is supporting initiatives that seek to reduce the country’s import bill that is growing each year. Under the domestic market recapturing strategy, NIRDA looks to carryout undertakings to promote import substitution industries, a move that will strengthen the country’s foreign exchange reverses in the long-run. It is no secret that some of the goods Rwanda imports from the around region or China or Dubai can be manufactured locally, even at a lower cost. What is the logic in exporting hides and skins, for instance, only to import leather to make shoes? It is indeed self-defeating to continue importing goods that we can produce ourselves. Therefore, NIRDA’s intervention should be supported by all so that the agency is able to deliver on its impressive plans as we continue to build a better Rwanda.
