Farm Power Technology Program
Mechanization is the use of various power sources and equipment in the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural produce. Tools, implements, equipment, and powered machinery, which are engineering-related interventions, are essential inputs in agriculture. These inputs contribute to saving labor, improving the quality of work, enhancing post-harvest handling, facilitating irrigation, and providing a variety of instruments to monitor and control modern agricultural processes.
In Rwanda, the Mechanization Program started in 2009–2010 with the objectives of promoting mechanization options for rural farmers, developing local skills, strengthening capacity in agricultural mechanization, and promoting mechanization in post-harvest activities. According to PSTA IV, farm operations were targeted to be mechanized at 50% by 2024.
To achieve this target, the Mechanization Program works hand in hand with private entities involved in mechanization, including tractor dealers such as Lonagro, Meta Plant, Evergreen, and Blue Gear, as well as mechanization service providers such as MUVUMBA P8, Bungabunga Ubutaka, NAGRICO, KNU Agri-Mechanized Services, CNA Smart Services (CNASS), RMF, AGRESSOL, OUSAC, REMED, and MUKUNGURI, among others.
The main activities of this program are:
Conducting intensive mobilization through farm machinery demonstrations in collaboration with service providers;
Linking farmers, where necessary, with mechanization service providers;
Monitoring and inspecting mechanization services provided by private companies;
Mobilizing private companies, including youth organizations, to invest in mechanization through study tours and demonstrations of mechanization potential;
Conducting scheduled repair and maintenance of RAB farm machinery by ensuring the availability of spare parts, lubricants, and other workshop consumables.
Currently, this program is emphasizing the following activities:
Increasing awareness among small-scale farmers on agricultural mechanization through the use of small mechanization equipment;
Promoting the involvement of youth organizations in agricultural machinery service provision;
Supporting farmers through subsidies on agricultural mechanization equipment in order to increase the level of mechanization in the country.