[KIGALI] Small-scale farmers in Rwanda are enjoying bumper harvests of fruit and vegetables after trying out climate-proof seeds, according to project leaders.

The Seed Resilience Project, launched in 2023 by the International Seed Federation alongside the farming non-profit Fair Planet, Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture, and local seed companies, aims to enhance access to climate-resilient seeds and improve agricultural productivity.

Tomato production has risen to eight times the national average since farmers started testing adapted seeds, according to field trials data collected by Fair Planet in Rwanda.

Smallholder farmers are also benefiting from climate-resilient varieties of cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and peppers, which are being sold in local markets and exported.

Alon Haberfeld, technology and operations manager at Fair Planet, told SciDev.Net that the initiative is about selecting the best-performing seeds while refining agronomic practices to boost productivity.

“If the seed performs well, eventually other things can do well,” said Haberfeld.

Aphrodis Zirimwabagabo, an agronomist and extension officer with Fair Planet, says the project begins with nursery preparation, where researchers track germination rates and seedling performance.

The collected data is shared with seed companies to refine and improve seed quality.

According to Zirimwabagabo, farmers have tested more than 60 hybrid varieties – where two or more plants have been bred to improve harvests or disease resistance – resulting in yields of up to five times higher than open-pollinated varieties (produced through natural cross-pollination or self-pollination with seeds of the same variety).

Michael Keller, secretary general of the International Seed Federation, told SciDev.Net that access to quality seeds remains a challenge due to inconsistent policies and the prevalence of counterfeit and uncertified seeds.

Speaking during a visit to smallholder farmers in southern Rwanda on the sidelines of the African Seed Trade Association congress in Kigali last month, he emphasised the importance of locally adapted seeds for improving yields.

“Without good quality seeds, you are doomed to fail,” Keller said.

Haberfeld says the Seed Resilience Project builds on Fair Planet’s earlier work in Ethiopia, where 75,000 farmers increased their vegetable yields.

In Rwanda, trials conducted in May 2024 showed significant improvements.

Cabbage yields increased from 1,400kg to 7,000kg per 0.1 hectare, while tomato yields rose more than eight times the national average, according to Fair Planet.

Keller told SciDev.Net that access to high-quality vegetable seeds can help address both food and nutrition insecurity.

However, with only 15 integrated seed companies in Africa running proper breeding programmes, the availability of improved seeds remains limited.

“What we are starting here in Rwanda with our seed resilience initiative is about building partnerships and an enabling environment for seed testing, quality certification, and registering varieties,” Keller added.

Uwamahoro Merceline, a smallholder farmer in eastern Rwanda, has embraced vegetable farming with the new varieties.

“With the training we get we are now becoming more professional on our farms … and the yields are good,” she said.

“Farming is my fulltime job and it is encouraging when I see my crops do well.

“I am reaping the fruits and I can get enough money not just to feed and educate my children but also to save in our farmers’ cooperative and I have even insured my crops.”

The project helps farmers adapt to challenges including climate change and land constraints.

Felix Bonake, who grows tomatoes and French beans in a greenhouse, says he is no longer worried about droughts and the pressure on land as the population increases.

“The biggest challenge has been accessing good quality seeds but we are now getting them close here in our local agrovets,” he said.

Keller stressed that vegetable farming provides opportunities for year-round cultivation, boosting farmers’ incomes. But he says more investment is needed to support farmers in adopting improved seeds and agricultural techniques.

“This takes time,” he told SciDev.Net. “It’s about knowledge transfer, building a whole network, and ensuring quality control.

“Farmers who have never used improved seeds need to understand the added value and how to cultivate these varieties.”

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.