Farmers dry chili peppers in Kigali, Rwanda, Dec. 4, 2024. (Xinhua/Ji Li)
KIGALI, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Herman Uwizeyimana, a pioneering Rwandan chili farmer with a PhD in ecology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a bold decision in 2019 to leave his public service job and embark on a farming career.
Despite the challenges of forgoing a regular monthly salary, he saw farming as an opportunity to make a tangible impact on the lives of Rwandans and contribute to national development.
Uwizeyimana ventured into chili farming under Fisher Global, a Rwandan agriculture company involved in growing and exporting chili. He views the trade between China and Rwanda as a blessing, and his daily smile is a testament to his success as one of the farmers exporting to the Asian country.
As an ecologist, Uwizeyimana's background has been instrumental in running a successful farming business that has created jobs for hundreds of local Rwandans.
Reflecting on his time studying in China, Uwizeyimana realized his dream of contributing to Rwandan development through a business that benefits local communities.
"We work with around 1,500 farmers. We provide the right seeds, technical assistance, agronomists, and training. After harvest, we dry the chili before exporting it to China," Uwizeyimana told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Cassien Habineza, the company's head agronomist, joined the team in 2023. He shared how much he has learned, which has benefited him personally and professionally. "With a reliable income, I've been able to improve my family's welfare," he said.
Fisher Global operates chili farms on 300 hectares across Rwanda, working with various agricultural cooperatives. Although the company specializes in chili farming, it also grows soybeans and maize, with soybeans serving as a rotational crop to maintain soil health.
According to the company, over the past three years, Fisher Global has exported between 200 and 300 metric tons of dried chili annually, with 230 tons exported last year alone. Uwizeyimana's goal, however, is to expand exports to 1,500 metric tons of dried chili per year.
The company's farms are mainly located in eastern Rwanda, with a presence in several districts across the country, excluding the northern regions where the climate is not conducive to chili farming.
From each hectare of chili, a farmer can harvest around 10 tons of fresh chili per season, with two growing seasons per year. Currently, the company employs approximately 31 permanent staff and around 1,200 casual laborers, including those involved in chili and onion farming and transplanting.
Uwizeyimana believes that chili farming has become a vital link between Rwanda's agricultural sector and global markets. "When people talk about chili, they often think of China. Everyone knows that our main market is China, and we have many farmers involved," he said.
Commercial chili farming is a relatively new concept in Rwanda, where most people once grew it on a small scale for home consumption. Today, however, it's a lucrative industry, generating substantial income and offering significant employment opportunities, Uwizeyimana said, adding that as chili farming continues to expand, it is playing an important role in the country's economic development and boosting the purchasing power of local communities.
Uwizeyimana expressed optimism about China's new policy, which, effective Dec. 1, grants zero-tariff treatment to goods from the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations. He sees the policy as a major boost for African farmers and predicts it will increase the volume of African exports to China. "This policy shows that China is a good friend of African countries," he said.
Motivated by the new policy, Uwizeyimana plans to expand his chili farming operation to produce even larger quantities for export.
Habineza, an agronomist, also sees the policy as a boon for African farmers. "In this case, companies' profits will increase with the zero-tax treatment policy introduced by China. I think it will also strengthen cooperation between African and Chinese companies and ease the exportation of products to the Chinese market," he said.
However, the chili business has not been without challenges. Working with a workforce that lacks agricultural knowledge has been a significant hurdle. "We not only have to train people but also cultivate the right mindset, especially since many of our employees are young. It's a challenge to guide them toward the right agricultural practices," Uwizeyimana noted.
Looking ahead, Uwizeyimana is optimistic about the future of the chili business. He is confident that his efforts, along with the growing market for Rwandan chili, will continue to drive transformation in the agricultural sector and enhance the livelihoods of many. ■
Herman Uwizeyimana, a pioneering Rwandan chili farmer with a PhD in ecology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, checks the growth of chili peppers in a field in Kigali, Rwanda, Dec. 4, 2024.(Xinhua/Ji Li)
Cassien Habineza, head agronomist of Fisher Global, checks the growth of chili peppers in a field in Kigali, Rwanda, Dec. 4, 2024.(Xinhua/Ji Li)
