MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON
NATIONAL SEED ASSOCIATION OF RWANDA-NSAR
Dear Stakeholders,
I feel honoured to welcome all of you to the 2nd Rwanda National Seed Congress (RNSC) 2024 under the theme “Rwanda Seed Industry Modernization “
Global agriculture is expected to deliver on a formidable challenge. It must provide food security, by ensuring that healthy and nutritious food is available and affordable for the world population. This needs to be done sustainably, by protecting and conserving the planet’s resources: producing more food on the same amount of land while using less water and other resources. It must also generate income and provide livelihoods to farmers worldwide, as well as others in the food chain.
In this spirit, Rwanda has been reviewing its current agricultural policies and strategies with the aim to ensure food security but at the same time reduce environmental impact of agricultural production and provide sufficient income to farmers.
As we move forward into the future, it is more important than ever to recognize the critical role that seeds play in the food systems and our economy. The development of new plant varieties that respond to the effects of climate change, with features such as disease resistance, drought, salt & flood tolerance combined with high yields and nutritive food needs to be combined with farmer access to good quality seed. High-quality seed of new varieties has the potential to improve the sustainability and resilience of farming while raising income for farmers. These benefits will be passed on to consumers in the form of improved food security, greater choice and affordability.
As an association, NSAR is committed to supporting the development of new varieties of crops that are more resilient to climate change, more nutritious, and more sustainable. We are also dedicated to promoting fair and ethical practices in the seed industry, in ensuring that farmers have access to a diversity of seeds that they need to grow for enhanced food productivity and Trade.
Even at the wake of the existing gaps in the ecosystem, we are excited about the next steps that we intend to journey together through a well defined and stable framework for the development of an effective and sustainable Seed system in Rwanda.
Through the Private sector lens, we intend to offer an impactful opportunity for us all to share our views and recommendations in line with existing policies and legislations and in conformity with local, regional and international accepted practices and processes, in adopting a sustainable National Seed industry in Rwanda.
The 2nd Rwanda National Seed Congress (RNSC) 2024 will be an opportunity for all stakeholders in the seed industry and agriculture sector to discuss matters related to compliance and self-regulation, enhancement of the regulatory environment and mutual accountability, identification of synergies and linkages and complementarities on the achievement of the overarching goals in reference to Rwanda’s strategic roadmap for seed industry 2030”.
We look forward to welcoming all of you to the 2nd Rwanda National Seed Congress.
Sincerely,
Innocent NAMUHORANYE
Chairperson, NSAR