ISAE-Busogo partners with districts to transform agriculture

Musanze - The Higher Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry-ISAE Busogo, Wednesday reached an agreement with districts in the Northern Province, to partner in agricultural research, crop intensification programme, and offer help to farmers to reduce post harvest losses. Under the arrangement, the institute will participate in finding ways to increase agricultural productivity and environmental management, livestock productivity, reduce post harvest losses, terracing, artificial insemination and innovation through research. During a public lecture attended by all district mayors in the province, lecturers and students, the Governor of the Northern Province, Aime Bosenibamwe, rallied the intellectuals to find solutions to the problems affecting the local community, especially in modernising their activities. “Universities play a crucial role in generating new ideas and in accumulating and transmitting knowledge, and yet, they have remained peripheral to development concerns. Before you ask what this government should give, ask yourselves what your contribution is in development,” Bosenibamwe observed. He challenged the universities and the district leaders to create a framework of operation, and partner in terracing, crop intensification, and land consolidation programmes by tapping into the skills of university students. In 2004, the Government adopted the National Agricultural Policy, which focuses on poverty reduction and contribution to sustainable food security through modernised, innovative, professionalised and specialised family-based agriculture. According to the ISAE Rector, Dr. Charles Karemangingo, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with districts, but the terms of cooperation were yet to be operational. “Every district will highlight their areas of need where we can support, do research and send students to carry out their internship training from the fields with local farmers,’’ he stated. Gakenke District Mayor, Deo Nzamwita, noted that there was need for a mindset change among both intellectuals and the local population to seek home grown solutions to transform agriculture. bonny.mukombozi@newtimes.co.rw