Private sector federation urges farmer fluency in computers, Swahili

NORTHERN PROVINCE GICUMBI—Rwanda’s Private Sector Federation has brought together business communities in all five districts of Northern Province in a bid to revitalize wheat growing and animal feeds. Unveiling a new wheat factory and urging a culture of saving and larger cooperative, Federation president Robert Bayingamba called upon the entire community to learn basic computer operation and, especially, kiSwahili, as farmers prepare to compete with counterparts in Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Kenya. In attendance included Gicumbi Mayor Bonane Nyangezi, PSF secretary general Emmanuel Hategeka, Gicumbi PSF president Fidel Makuza and Northern Province director Betty Abatony. Among business entrepreneurs visited by PSF delegates was Pembe wheat and animal-feeds factory, which produces 200 tonnes daily. Factory manager Talib Abdala said the factory received raw materials from local farmers at Frw200 per kilogram. However, the local supply is still low to meet the factory’s capacity. More raw materials are imported from Russia and Argentina to supplement the local ones. “Currently the factory supplies wheat flour to local markets throughout Rwanda and to neighbouring countries.” PSF delegates also visited Francois Mugiraneza’s exotic cattle and pig farm in Nyamiyaga cell of Kageyo sector in Gicumbi district. The PSF delegates said they were impressed with modern farming methods and agreed to pass on this example to farmers in other parts of the country. Ends