News

Project team members of the Research Project on “Capitalizing on Marigold Bio-Pesticide Properties to Leverage on the Outputs of Natural Products Made in Rwanda” organized a two day workshop to share the project key information, exchange ideas on the implementation of the project and to know each other since the project is a consortium composed by the University of Rwanda-College of Agriculture Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine (UR-CAVM), University of Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB), Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and Horizon Group/ SOPYRWA&AGROPY and funded by the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST).

In her welcome remarks Dr. Marguerite MUKANGANGO, who is the Principal Investigator of the project presented all partners in the consortium from Teaching and Research Institutions as academia partners and SOPYRWA&AGROPY as industry partner specialized in Bio –pesticide. In her presentation, she pointed out the background of the Rwandan Agriculture sector whereby it employs a big number of the population and contribute to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, crop productivity is low due to pests and diseases among threats to agricultural production which induces high expenses in importing pesticides and the country encourages the population to explore homemade solutions in the sector of Agriculture. It is this context that the project was selected among others to contribute to made in Rwanda policy by producing Tagetes spp based bio –pesticide in the country as well as in the region.

Mr. Seminega Innocent, the Manager of Horizon Group/ AGROPY explained how AGROPY as a manufacturer of bio- pesticide company that control pests in crop, livestock and public health will come into this research project by availing its expertise and machinery to produce final bio-pesticide product. He also safeguarded full involvement towards the end of this project. “We shall be able to co-work with all involvement and make sure we come up with a final product.” Said Seminega Innocent, the workshop ended with deep understanding of key information regarding the project prospects.

Reported by : Jacqueline UMUPFASONI
PR& CEO- UR/Busogo Campus