Six students from Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) secured top positions in the 2024 Wege Prize, the global competition for sustainable innovation and the circular economy. With dedication and innovation, RICA students secured first and third place and were named finalists in this year’s awards. The Wege Prize is an annual international competition that challenges college students from around the world to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries to redesign the way economies work. Students Thadee Ubayeho and Claudine Kamanzi are from the five-person team FruiFresh that won first place and $30,000 for their work. They seek to alleviate Rwanda’s post-harvest tomato losses with evaporative and energy-efficient charcoal cooling facilities crafted from locally available materials for produce storage. ALSO READ: Making agriculture ‘cool’: Five things that distinguish RICA Three other students, Eric Ishimwe, Anny Graziella Isimbi, and Tresor Mbano are with the five-person team, EcoFeed Pioneers, that was awarded $15,000 for their work in evolving animal feed to reduce reliance on imported scarce crops by devising innovative biorefinery techniques to create a sustainable food supply. The other student, Blaise Shema is a member of the five-person team, Huuzagro, that was awarded $2,500 as a team finalist for addressing Rwanda’s plastic pollution, by transforming waste into biodegradable packaging paired with a circular collection system that breaks down residual waste. Dr Ron Rosati, RICA’s Vice Chancellor, praised the students’ achievements, saying, “We are proud of our students’ success in the Wege Prize 2024. Their dedication to addressing challenges through innovative solutions highlights the education and practical training they received at RICA. “These achievements are the results of their hard work and the collaborative efforts of RICA’s faculty. And we’re proud that this is the second time in three years that members of a RICA team have placed first,” he said. ALSO READ: Kagame tasks RICA graduates to find agricultural solutions for Africa’s economic growth Claudine Kamanzi, a first-place team member, expressed her excitement, “Winning the Wege Prize is a great honour. Our team worked tirelessly, and this recognition proves our efforts to create sustainable agricultural solutions. We are grateful for RICA’s support and the opportunities it has provided us.” RICA is empowering and creating the next generation of crosscutting experts in the conservation agriculture sector. Delving into the skills graduates acquire at RICA, we find the following: High employment rate At RICA, within just one year of graduation, 66 students (90 per cent) from the class of 2023 are employed or engaged in professional postgraduate activities. Among them, six graduates have opted to further their education by enrolling in graduate school. Three graduates demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit by starting their own companies and becoming self-employed. Seven students (9.6 per cent) are currently unemployed and actively seeking opportunities. The high employment rate is a testament to RICA’s success in achieving its mission of educating a new generation of agricultural innovators. In addition, the dedication, hard work, and effective programming provided by RICA faculty and staff resulted in this positive outcome making a difference in Rwanda by contributing to the improvement of quality of life and food sovereignty. Exceptional skills According to RICA, through feedback from both graduates and employers, they are receiving reports that graduates are recognised for their strong technical competence resulting from the practical skills they acquired through applied, hands-on education. RICA graduates are highly regarded by employers for their exceptional soft skills, including problem-solving, communication, teamwork, leadership, work ethic, honesty, and time management. This recognition highlights the comprehensive and impactful education provided by RICA. Success story Hawa Niyigena is a RICA alumna and talented young entrepreneur with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Conservation Agriculture, specialising in Food Processing. Experienced in business development, she has founded various businesses such as Whiz Upp Ltd, a beverage company, Green Fuel, and Dezamis. She is currently the CEO of Whiz Upp Ltd.
