Potato News from Rwanda

Rwanda Emerges as Regional Hub for Seed Potato Trade
June 05, 2025
Rwanda Emerges as Regional Hub for Quality Seed Potato Production
Rwanda is now a key hub for seed potato trade in the Great Lakes Region, thanks to farmer-led innovations, Africa’s largest minituber facility, a national seed catalogue, and efforts toward regional integration and formal cross-border seed markets.
Athanase Nduwumuremyi, Senior Research Fellow and Roots and Tubers Program Coordinator at RAB, during a tour at a greenhouse in Karago Sector, Nyabihu Distric
March 17, 2025
Trials for GMO potato varieties underway in Rwanda
The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resource Development Board (RAB) is conducting trials on new potato varieties that require no fungicide spraying
Seeds of Transformation: Empowering Rwanda's Farmers through Innovative Potato Varieties and Sustainable Agricultural Practices
May 13, 2024
Cultivating Innovation: Transforming Rwanda’s potato industry with new varieties
The lack of quality seed for improved varieties has been attributed to the limited capacity of seed multipliers to produce enough to meet farmer’s demands.
Potato farmers in Rwanda who are counting losses due to late blight disease welcome the plan to use agricultural biotechnology in developing a resistant crop variety. (Courtesy: Sam Ngendahimana).
July 26, 2022
Potato farmers in Rwanda upbeat about new variety
Potato farmers have welcomed the government’s on-going trials on the use of agricultural biotechnology in producing a new Irish potato variety resistant to the devastating late blight disease.
A mini shop for potatoes in Kigali, Rwanda
November 16, 2021
Middlemen plunge Rwanda potato farmers into losses
Potato farmers in Rwanda are counting their losses, claiming that they are selling their produce at 'giveaway' prices, despite the cost remaining high on the market.
An example of a tricot potato trial in Gicumbi, Rwanda. (Courtesy: JC Nshimiyimana / CIP)
August 02, 2021
Potato Farmers in Rwanda help validate and disseminate new varieties
The triadic comparisons of technologies – or tricot – approach is being used in a citizen-science project funded by the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) to identify and scale up best cassava and potato varieties in Rwanda.
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Farmers and a local extension agents measure potato yield following use of the AKILIMO platform to provide recommended fertilizer use. (Courtesy: JC Nshimiyimana/CIP) 
July 04, 2021
AKILIMO digital platform improves potato yields in Rwanda
CIP and RAB are focusing their efforts in this area to release varieties that are high-yielding, pest and disease resistant, and climate-resilient.  But is this enough to overcome the low potato yields faced by Rwandan farmers?
The Rwandan entrepreneur Apollinaire Karegeya is growing potatoes without soil and with little water.
December 04, 2020
Aeroponics: growing potatoes in the air - agricultural innovation in Rwanda
A Rwandan entrepreneur is pioneering the use of innovative farming technology that, he believes, is set to play a major role in feeding the growing population in his country, amid increasing pressure on arable land.
A seed breeder working in a potato seed multiplication greenhouse in Musanze District. The True Potato Seed technology will replace commonly used potato tuber seeds. (Courtesy: Sam Ngendahimana)
January 06, 2020
Rwanda pilots 'revolutionary' potato seeds
The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) has started testing True Potato Seeds, which are produced by Solynta, a Dutch firm that develops hybrid potatoes. True Potato Seeds are collected from the berries or fruits of the potato plant.
Farmers often sell their potato produce at giveaway prices during harvest season
December 10, 2019
Farmers in Rwanda are looking for better potato storage technology
Rwanda Agricultural Board has said that it is working with agricultural experts to introduce affordable technologies that could help store potatoes for over a period of six months in a bid to fight against food insecurity and low prices affecting farmers.
Insufficient seed inspectors lead to potato seeds scarcity –RAB
October 31, 2019
Insufficient seed inspectors lead to potato seeds scarcity, says Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB)
Rwanda needs about 35,000 tons of quality potato seeds to cover 25 percent of total cultivated land in each growing season. The targeted quantity to fill the existing gap is 60 percent despite persisting challenges.
World Potato Congress President Romain Cools
August 30, 2019
World Potato Congress Inc partner of the African Potato Association at the triennial conference in Kigali, Rwanda
During his presentation at the official opening of the 11th African Potato Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, World Potato Congress President Romain Cools announced the continuous effort of his organization to be a partner of the African potato sector.
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Potato organizations on Monday called for deliberate efforts to increase potato and sweet potatoes production for sustainable nutritious food systems in Africa.
August 27, 2019
Potato organizations seek to leverage potatoes to address malnutrition in Africa
Potato organizations on Monday called for deliberate efforts to increase potato and sweet potatoes production for sustainable nutritious food systems in Africa.
In Rwanda, the State minister of Agriculture Fulgence Ngengiyumva visits one of the seed potato warehouses in the Northern Province.
June 19, 2018
Irish potato farmers in Rwanda upbeat as government moves to address seed shortage
In Rwanda, the Ministry of Agriculture and partners have pledged to establish modern seed potato warehouses and greenhouses to ensure the supply of quality seed potatoes.
In Rwanda, the potato variety Kinigi is still favorite among farmers as well as in the community of potato consumers.
January 27, 2018
In Rwanda, Kinigi is still the leading potato variety on the market
New potato varieties are needed in Rwanda to meet the current market demands. Nevertheless, the potato variety Kinigi is still favorite among farmers as well as in the community of potato consumers.
Launch of the upgraded potato processing plant of Hollanda Fair Foods on January 17, 2018. The upgrades bring the production capacity from 2 ton/day to 10 ton/day.
In the picture from left to right: a representative from district Musanze; Leslie Marbury;
January 25, 2018
Winnaz Potato Chips plant in Rwanda scales up production five-fold
The Hollanda Fair Foods potato processing plant in Rwanda, which produces the Winnaz Crisps brand, is set to scale up its chips production capacity five-fold.
Workers at the Nyabihu potato processing factory sort chips before packaging (Courtesy: The New Times)
January 04, 2018
Government Rwanda plans privatisation of Nyabihu Potato Processing Plant
The Government of Rwanda is in the process of privatising the Nyabihu District-based potato processing plant amid tight market and low production capacity, according to the The New Times.
Paul Andrew Olusegun (left) and Mathieu Rouviere exchange documents after signing the takeover deal. BlackPace plans to inject over $10m into chip maker Ndiyo to expand production capacity.
November 12, 2017
Nigerian firm Blackpace acquires potato chip manufacturer Ndiyo in Rwanda
BlackPace Africa Group has bought Ndiyo Business Group, a major producer of salted potato chips in Rwanda.

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