Rwanda and Israel launched a Center of Excellence for Horticultural Development with ambitions to increase production through modern technology and research.
Billed as MASHAV’s biggest sponsored project in Africa, the initiative is expected to deploy modern technology and improve the well-being of farmers.
MASHAV is a Hebrew acronym for Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
The Mulindi-based centre will serve both commercial and smallholder horticulture farmers.
The centre is based on the Indo-Israel model of “Centres of Excellence in Agriculture’’. It involves transfer of knowledge—capacity building and demonstration—and agro-inputs such as nurseries for better seedlings and varieties as well as fresh produce.
The government plans to setup affiliated small centres in different parts of the country to accelerate technological and skills transfer.