By Emma-Marie Umurerwa
Rwanda is preparing to launch nationwide trials of genetically modified crops later in 2025, aiming to boost agricultural productivity, reduce dependency on chemical pesticides and strengthen food security. This bold initiative aligns with the country’s Vision 2050 to transform agriculture into a modern, technology-driven sector capable of supporting a high-income economy.
GMO cassava is currently in the trial phase
The Rwandan government, through the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), is initiating a national field trial of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), focusing on three key crops cassava, potatoes, and maize.
The goal is to test the performance of GMO varieties that have been engineered to resist diseases, pests, and the effects of climate change, and to assess their environmental and health impacts before potential nationwide rollout.
Preliminary research from districts including Huye, Nyanza, Bugesera, and Musanze shows promising results. For instance, GMO cassava varieties have demonstrated resistance to devastating diseases like cassava mosaic and brown streak, while genetically modified potatoes have fared well against late blight, a common destructive disease.
According to Dr. Athanase Nduwumuremyi, head of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Rwanda chapter, the pilot will be conducted between September and December 2025 on carefully selected farms across regions known for cultivating cassava, potatoes, and maize.
Dr. Athanase also explained that the use of GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) aims to tackle key challenges in agriculture, such as low yields, vulnerability to diseases or drought, and the need to enhance nutritional value. The goal, he said, is to increase food production so that more can be harvested on smaller plots of land.
Dr. Athanase added, “GMO technology is designed to boost nutritional value and increase harvests, ensuring that more food can be produced on less land.”
Dr Athanase Nduwumuremyi
Farmers participating in the trials report encouraging benefits. Thomas Sibobugingo, a potato farmer from Musanze District, said, “Potato diseases like black spot have been devastating. We use many pesticides harmful to the soil and environment.
If GMO seeds can help, I fully support it.” Similarly, cassava farmer Maria Mukundiyukuri from Ruhango noted, “These improved seeds could reduce our chemical use and protect our harvests.”
The Dufatanye Cooperative of cassava farmers in Ruhango District said they were informed that GMO would help increase their yields.
Gusingizimana Alexis, the representative of the cooperative, said: “In the past five years, we have faced a serious problem with cassava production due to diseases that attacked it right from planting. This caused us heavy losses, so any solution that would enable us to harvest as we used to, or even better, would truly make us happy […] We received training from RAB last year, where we were told that GMO is a solution to low production and that it is already being used in different countries, including some within the EAC. Therefore, starting to try it out ourselves is very good news.”
The initiative is being led in partnership with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). Dr. Canisius Kanangire, AATF Executive Director, emphasized that GMO technology is crucial for Africa to tackle its agricultural challenges. “Rwanda plans to introduce TELA maize, which has proven drought resistance and pest tolerance in countries like Nigeria and South Africa,” he said.
Balancing safety, sustainability, and agricultural growth
Government officials emphasize safety and transparency. Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, assured the public that GMO foods have been consumed worldwide for over 30 years without credible evidence of harm to human health or the environment.
How GMO adoption ahs Increased crop yields in Some African Countries
Before GM Adoption:
According to FAO, in African countries that first adopted GMOs, maize yields were relatively low. For example, in South Africa in the early 2000s, average dryland maize yields were about 2.4 tonnes per hectare.
After GM Adoption:
By the 2020s, average yields in South Africa had risen to approximately 5.2 tonnes per hectare, a 116% increase. The total welfare benefits of GM white maize from 2001 to 2018 were estimated at $694.7 million.
Kenya:
Studies indicate that Bt maize could allow farmers to produce up to 3.7 tonnes per hectare, nearly tripling current yields. Kenya currently produces about 45 million 90-kg bags, below the national demand of 62 million bags. A five-year delay in commercializing Bt maize has caused an estimated $67 million in lost benefits. (Source: Nation Africa).
Regulatory bodies are closely monitoring
The Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) has granted official approval for the trials, and ongoing public consultations and independent safety reviews will guide the process.
Experts highlight that GMO technology could reduce the need for chemical inputs, which, while boosting yields, often degrade soil and pollute water sources. Integrating GMO crops with sustainable farming practices promises to enhance food security and environmental health in Rwanda.
However, success depends on strong public awareness and farmer training to ensure proper use and understanding of the new technology. Dr. Athanase Nduwumuremyi, head of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Rwanda chapter, stressed the importance of educating communities about the benefits and risks.
Rwanda’s Vision 2050 aims to transform agriculture from subsistence-based to a high-tech, market-driven, and climate-resilient sector by 2050, significantly increasing productivity and exports. The strategy includes a shift to higher-value crops and proteins, increased food safety standards, and the development of professional farmers on larger, irrigated land parcels.
Resilient crops such as biotech-crops are timely as Rwanda remains committed to ending hunger , one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
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