NAEB goals to plant 40 million tea seedlings for trade transformation and sustainability – RNA NEWS
Rwanda’s tea sector performs a vital function within the nationwide financial system, producing $114.8 million within the 2023/2024 fiscal 12 months from the export of 38,467.7 tons of processed tea. This revenue considerably contributes to the nation’s agricultural income whereas drastically bettering the lives of roughly 50,000 tea farmers organized into 23 cooperatives throughout the nation. Rwanda’s Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 5) for 2024-2029 targets producing tea revenue of 175 million USD from 58,600 metric tons of processed tea by 2029.
To obtain this formidable milestone, NAEB is spearheading the Government of Rwanda’s formidable initiative to increase and revitalize the tea trade, as a part of the nation’s broader efforts to spice up agricultural exports.
In alignment with NAEB’s mandate to advertise agro-export commodities, important tea enlargement and infilling actions are scheduled to start in October 2025 underneath the continuing Promoting Smallholder Agro-Export Competitiveness Project (PSAC), co-funded by the Government of Rwanda and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Over the subsequent 4 years, a complete of almost 40 million seedlings can be planted throughout 2,410 hectares as a part of the enlargement and infilling course of. The first-year goal consists of infilling 310 hectares of present plantations whereas additionally increasing by an extra 600 hectares.
The ongoing initiative to increase and revitalize Rwanda’s tea trade is making important progress. It has commenced on a constructive notice, highlighted by the essential step of manufacturing high-quality tea seedlings, that are important for the success of this formidable transformation challenge.
So far, 8,538,000 tea seedlings have been produced, contributing in the direction of the 19,934,000 seedlings wanted to fulfill these annual targets. The tea enlargement and infilling can be carried out throughout 1,790 hectares and 620 hectares respectively, which can be distributed in 6 Tea cooperatives in Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rutsiro, and Nyabihu within the Western Province, Nyaruguru within the Southern Province, and Rulindo within the Northern Province.
This plentiful manufacturing of high quality tea seedlings is producing jobs for native youth and girls by a group strategy, which is anticipated to enhance their dwelling requirements. This large-scale seedling manufacturing will function a vital basis for enhancing the productiveness of present tea plantations whereas additionally facilitating the institution of latest ones.
In addition to offering free tea seedlings for planting by farmer cooperatives throughout six focused districts, 226,000 agroforestry seedlings can be distributed, freed from cost, for planting on 2042 hectares. These bushes will improve soil fertility, preserve water, present shade, forestall erosion, and promote biodiversity.
Furthermore, tea farmer cooperatives will obtain tea leaf assortment vehicles, digital weighing scales, servers for tea knowledge storage, and common coaching on new farming methods by Farmers Field Schools (FFS) to spice up manufacturing.
Mr. Alexis NKURUNZIZA, Traditional commodities (together with tea) Division Manager at NAEB, stated: “By enhancing Rwanda’s tea value chain, NAEB is positioning the country to increase both the quality and volume of its tea exports, which are vital to Rwanda’s economy. This initiative is not only about growing the tea sector but also about providing sustainable economic opportunities for smallholder farmers in the tea-producing regions.”
With these efforts, NAEB continues to play a pivotal function in driving Rwanda’s agricultural export sector, fostering long-term development, and making certain the competitiveness of Rwanda’s tea trade on the worldwide market. (End)
