The only
bumpy part of our research trip to Rwanda was the road to the Rwamagana
district. The hospitality of the people, the serenity of the Mugesera Lake, and
the cute baby goats roaming around rejuvenated the team after a long day of
travel. However, the most significant takeaway was Rose Muhumuze and Emma
Uwera’s amazing work as the female founders of E&E Green Farms and I &
J Harvest. Their collaboration has created farms that are well-managed and
highly organized despite stretching beyond the horizon. An hour and a half’s
walking only led us to see less than 20% of the 52 hectares. Rose and Emma’s
partnership is a prime example of how women-led agribusinesses are making a
positive impact on Rwanda's society and economy.
A network of women is readily transforming agriculture in Rwanda by laying the foundations for innovative business and agricultural practices. Rose founded E & E Green Farms to develop the seed multiplication industry in the country with immense potential to benefit Rwandans. The company rents farms with cooperatives for agriculture to produce the seeds and sells them to distributors once they are certified. E & E Green Farms plays a critical role beyond seed production including providing training and support to cooperatives to effectively engage in seed production and multiplication. At the same time, E & E Green Farms also partners with other women leaders in the agricultural sector creating an effective network and fostering collaboration.
Some innovative
features of the farms include the strategic location next to Lake Mugesera. The
farms were irrigated through a rain-fed system with canals that supplied water
to all areas of the farm while carrying excess water into the lake. To prevent
animals from stumbling onto the maize crops and consuming the maize, the maize
plants were surrounded by sweet potato crops. The sweet potato crops acted as a
barrier distracting animals and leading them to consume the sweet potato
instead of the maize crops. The farms also had a person walking rounds to
prevent animals and people from consuming the maize.
The most
remarkable feature was the stark difference between the seeds planted by E &
E Green Farms and I & J Harvest compared to traditional maize crops. With
two rows of male and six rows of female crops, the E & E plants were much
larger than their counterparts and generated a larger yield. The E & E and
I & J seeds were the WH507 variety adapted to mid-altitudes and the
rainfall conditions of the Rwamagana district. Therefore, from irrigation to
location and seeds to management, the fields were effectively organized.
Finally, we
also had the opportunity to interview Emma to understand her business, goals,
and her daily activities. Presently, she was waiting for the maize crops to grow,
having planted them earlier. Emma also conducts research as an Agronomist on
seeds in her field to enhance production, yield, and sustainability. One of the
challenges that she faced was the uncertainty and unpredictability of the seeds
produced in each cycle which limited her ability to sell in the market and
negotiate contracts as the yield can vary due to many factors beyond her
control. Finally, her main aspiration for the future is to build an in-house
research team that can work with her to improve yield and sustainability.
However, the challenge is that research is funding and resource intensive.
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