Uruhimbi Kageyo Ltd

There is a rising challenge of costly and scarcity livestock feeds in Rwanda, the hilly land leaves the population with small land for crop cultivation and animal keeping. In fact,70% of the Rwandan population are engaged in agriculture, and around 72 % of the working population are employed in agriculture ( Fao.org. 2022). Despite notable improvements recorded in recent years, the agricultural sector faces many challenges among them, strong dependence on rainfalls and vulnerability to climate shocks, the low use of water resources for irrigation which makes agricultural production unpredictable from one season to another, low levels of productivity for both crops and livestock due to low input use and inefficient farming practices, scarcity of appropriate technologies and financing incentives. While the cost of animal feed is too high for most farmers, forage is scarce and concentrates are expensive. Production of fodder stands out due to its low selling price. Based on our current proof of concept, the cost of our fodder is as 2.5 times less cheap as available conventional feed. Since we are the sole existing pioneers of the innovative use of the hydroponic fodder system in Rwanda, our year-round supply benefits all animal classes vis-à-vis their nutritional needs. The forage production mainly is through open-field cultivation which is vulnerable to natural disasters, quality and quantity interferences. Rwanda has the policy of livestock keeping in home-made stalls (zero grazing units). Our system has the opportunity to expand across the country with retail outlets and technology extension to meet the rising demand of animal feed. With our unique two-year experience, we are subjected to extension and technology transfer across other districts supported by the modernization of the agricultural sector to be realized via implementation of policies promoting technological upgrading in Rwanda with the intention of transforming the agricultural sector from a subsistence to commercialized, knowledge-based value feed production.