Cooperative to boost potato seeds

GICUMBI - IMPUYAKI Cooperative Society in Kaniga Sector, Gicumbi District, is engaged in the production of selected seeds of Irish potatoes to increase the crop’s production in the area, during the A and B crop planting seasons. The chairman of Kaniga Sector platform for Irish potatoes production Gabriel Turatsinze, revealed this to The New Times during a tour of the Greenhouse on Sunday. Turatsinze is also the treasurer of IMPUYAKI Cooperative society,“IMPUYAKI will multiply selected seeds, which will be grown on 10 hectares of land to produce over 40 tonnes of Irish potatoes during this planting season,” said Turatsinze. He disclosed that the project is being funded by Research into Use (RIU), a development project under Private Sector Federation (PSF), in partnership with CARITAS Rwanda. “The selected seeds in the greenhouse mature within a period of between 3 to 4 months,” he added. CARITAS agriculture official in Gicumbi District, Alex Ntaganira, said the project will guarantee production of safe and selected high quality seeds. “CARITAS Rwanda, in partnership with RIU intends to build four greenhouses in Gicumbi District, to increase production of high quality selected seeds in order to guarantee food security and improve the economic wellbeing of residents,” said Ntaganira. Kaniga Sector Executive Secretary, Theogene Safari, hailed the cooperative’s seed multiplication project which he said is the first of its kind in the district. “Farmers of Kaniga Sector, which is endowed with soils favorable for Irish potatoes production, have been sensitized to embrace land consolidation so as to realize high yields during this farming season,” said Safari. Ends

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Cooperative to boost potato seeds