Rwanda: Transparency International calls for farmers' participation in determining food prices

Transparency International Rwanda indicates that 23 per cent of the population participates in determining the price of the harvest from their grown crops. This assessment on farmers' satisfaction in Nyanza and Kayonza is an addition to the assessment that was done by the Rwanda Governance Board where they showed that 41.8 per cent of the citizens criticize the agricultural services. 

The farmers have said that determining food prices on the market as well as sharing ideas on what is needed in agricultural services will develop the agricultural sector.

The assessment from Transperency International  Rwanda in partnership with the world bank, that involved 7331 Smallholder farmers shows that their participation in determining the prices of their goods on the market is 23.0 per cent which leads to losses. Some 58% said they do not contribute to districts projects preparations, while some 3 percent have shown that they were asked for bribes to get seeds. 

The executive secretary of Transparancy international  Rwanda, Appolinaire Mupiganyi  has said that farmer are not authorized to determine prices on the market.

“They were not aware before, they were told to use seeds while they are the one that know their soil, like in nyanza they showed us how they multiplied the beans seeds by themselves and they were assisted by the authorities, they appreciate their contribution but the problem is that thet do not determine prices on their harvest, ” Mupiganyi said. 

The Director-General of Strategic Planning in the ministry of agriculture, Dr Octave SEMWAGA said that the government will keep on supporting the farmers, for it will help them in getting information about the effort lost in agriculture value-chain which will help them in determining the price.

“We will work with the partners and we will give them mobile phones  in order to know what they have used,  it will be productive and the farmer will get to know the profit, and he will keep the records in the mobile phone  and it will be easy to know exactly the money he get..and the financial institutions will get information easily and they will give him loan, which will boost the agricultural sector. ” Semwaga said. 

Gislaine MUGWANEZA

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