Rwanda’s lower house of Parliament has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources to present concrete measures to address post-harvest losses, particularly for rice and maize.
The Chamber of Deputies adopted the resolution on March 3, 2026, seeking data that will complement findings from an upcoming survey by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, known as Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, was given three months to implement the resolution.
The decision followed an analysis by the parliamentary Committee on Land, Agriculture, Livestock and Environment of a report by the Office of the Auditor General on post-harvest losses.
The audit found post-harvest losses at 12.4% for rice and 13.8% for maize, exceeding the national target of reducing losses to 5% by 2029.
Lawmakers cited inadequate and damaged infrastructure. Rice drying capacity stands at 9%, maize drying at 18%, and storage facilities can handle only 33% of total production. About one-third of drying facilities require repairs.
Committee Chair Alice Muzana said some drying facilities were misused or poorly located, limiting farmer access.
Parliament also urged faster rollout of the Agricultural Management Information System (AMIS) to improve market information and better connect farmers to buyers.
