The piggery value chain in Rwanda holds significant potential for creating diverse job opportunities in various sub-sectors, including nutrition, husbandry practices, processing, and more. Despite efforts from key stakeholders such as the government, development partners, and anchor firms, the sector still grapples with constraints such as a lack of skills and technology, poor entrepreneurial skills, limited access to finance, and inefficient market systems.

To address these challenges, significant efforts have been made to boost artificial insemination through capacity building and the provision of tools and resources to veterinarians and community animal health workers. Against this backdrop, the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, in collaboration with Hanga Akazi, a USA-funded project, initiated a certification process aimed at ensuring the legitimacy and improved quality of production by farmers. This involved controlling inbreeding by established pig multipliers and establishing comprehensive record-keeping of all pigs born, bought, and sold to other farmers.

In recognition of their outstanding contributions, on March 26, 2024, 20 pig breeders and multipliers were awarded certificates. This serves as encouragement for wider value chain actors to embrace and integrate best practices regarding genetic improvement, inspired by the example set by these initial certified individuals.

Dr. Solange UWITUZE, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Animal Resources Development at RAB, chaired the event and highlighted that the certification marks the beginning of a journey to ensure quality products reach the market. She urged pig breeders and multipliers to embrace their role as recordkeepers to enhance the pig value chain.

The event garnered attendance from various esteemed guests, including KAMANA André, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development at Huye District, among others.