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By Christophe Uwizeyimana
This article is being updated….
The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Rwanda Chapter – a project under the implementation of Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resource Board (RAB) has in collaboration with the Alliance for Science Rwanda are conducting a 5-day workshop with a theme:’’ National Youth Ambassadorship on the Role of Modern Biotechnology in Rwanda.’’
While the agricultural sector stands as the backbone of Rwanda’s economy, employing a substantial portion of the local workforce – youth have predominantly played a deep role in its recent growth. In contrast to most traditional rural youth in Rwanda, a new generation of young and educated farmers, agro-processors, and agriculture communicators have in recent years played a prominent role to the recent country’s strides for food security.
Adding to Rwanda’s prominent leadership towards youth inclusion in agriculture, OFAB Rwanda chapter seek to create a network of youth communicators who understands the role of technologies in agriculture. While rural youth remain underrepresented in different agriculture related value chains and they face significant challenges in terms of accessing assets like land property, farm inputs, equipment, training, finance and market channels, OFAB Rwanda chapter wish to use this capacity building workshop to empower the next generation of farmers, food processors and agri-communicators through technology access.
Full of empathy towards their fellow youth, the participants of this workshop are expected to become agents of change in addressing different constraints faced by youth and other smallholder farmers in their communities. Faced with many difficulties ranging from lack of access to information, and enough land resources, the youth participants of this workshop are expected to be able to harness a lot in terms of information, and networking but also the understanding of existing scientific breakthrough.
The main purpose of this workshop is to educate and empower Rwandan youth in agricultural biotechnology, providing them with knowledge, skills, and a supportive environment to navigate, utilize, and collaborate effectively in the agricultural sector. Both 30, They are ready to utilize the gained skills and information on Agriculture Biotechnology.
The workshop closed with a general consensus on the participants asserting that biotechnology in agriculture coming as a new tool among many that are being utilized to cope up with a rapidly growth population in terms quality, affordable, and climate-smart food systems.
Workshop details
The objective of this workshop
- Knowledge Expansion: Enhance the understanding and awareness of modern agricultural biotechnology among youth participants, equipping them with the knowledge to navigate and leverage biotechnological solutions in Rwanda’s agricultural context.
- Skill Development: Develop the practical skills of youth participants to effectively access factual and verified information, detect and demystify different misinformation and myths circulating around new agriculture technologies.
- Partnership Establishment: Facilitate the establishment of an enabling environment for partnerships and collaborations among youth pioneers in the agricultural sector, enabling them to leverage collective expertise, resources, and networks.
The workshop which is being conducted at Musanze from 29th April to 4th May 2024, has been attended by 30 youth who are engaged in Agricultural sector across the country.
The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) has been at the forefront of fostering informed discussions and enhancing public understanding regarding agricultural biotechnology. Recognizing the critical role of media in shaping public perception, OFAB Rwanda chapter and its partners have been organizing unique workshops aimed at creating a network of local media experts proficient in reporting on agricultural technologies, and food systems’ stories.
Despite significant advancements in agricultural biotechnology across Africa, public apprehension and misinformation persist. This is partly due to a lack of specialized knowledge among people moderating the communication on new breakthrough and advancement in agricultural sciences. In response, the Forum has established strategic collaboration with Alliance for Science and the Rwandan media corps to facts that demystify a lot of myth around biotechnology.
With funding from the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), OFAB Rwanda chapter is a project under Rwanda Agriculture and Animal resource Board (RAB) and other stakeholders, has initiated a series of workshops designed to bridge this knowledge Gap.
Photos:
Photo:Dr Athanase Nduwumuremyi introducing OFAB RWANDA Chapter operations and its value proposition
Photo: The main purpose of this workshop is to educate and empower Rwandan youth in agricultural biotechnology, providing them with knowledge, skills, and a supportive environment to navigate, utilize, and collaborate effectively in the agricultural sector
Photo:Capacity Development and Engagement of Youth in Agriculture Biotechnology will foster the Agricutural sector
Photo:Dr Athanase presented the OFAB’s Vision, mission and Objectives
Other workshop’s Photos:
Photo: Everyone is interested in leaning more about Agriculture Biotechnology
Photo: Youth who are engaged in Agriculture across the country have attended the workshop
Photo:Jean Claude Habimana, Science Communication Expert shared the truth in the Age of Disinformation and Misinformation
Photo: Jean Claude explained how you can verify Disinformation and Misinformation. He encouraged the attendees to go and become ambassadors of OFAB Rwanda
Photo: Everyone is concentrated on the sessions in order to gain more skills
