In the misty hills of Rwanda’s north, a single potato seed is rewriting the future for farmers, proving that science and resilience can grow hand in hand.
In Musanze District, 35-year-old Jullette Mukamana rises with the chilly Morning, ready for another long day on her potato farm. For years, she waged a costly, exhausting battle against late blight, a fungal disease that devastates Rwanda’s Irish potato fields each season.
“I used to spray almost every week,” Jullette recalls, her hands roughened and stained from years of handling fungicides. “It was exhausting and scary I worried about my health, my family, and even the bees that pollinate our crops.”
Her story mirrors that of thousands of smallholder farmers across Rwanda, who spend nearly RWF 175,000 (USD 140) per hectare on chemical sprays — almost 40% of total production costs — yet still face crop losses from disease and fungicide resistance. The environmental and health toll of spraying is immense.
Hope is now sprouting in Rwanda’s northern highlands with a high-yielding potato seed variety called Cyerekezo. Developed by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) in partnership with ASARECA (Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa) and SPF Ikigega, Cyerekezo is transforming harvests and livelihoods.
Farmers from the “Dukomeze Ubuzima” cooperative in Musanze District report yields nearly double what they expected from older or recycled seed. In trial phases, 200 kilograms of Cyerekezo seed produced over 1.5 tons of potatoes, with each plant yielding 10 to 15 tubers — compared to the four to seven harvested from conventional varieties.
Jean de Dieu Ngiruwonsanga, a farmer from Nyamiyaga in Shingiro Sector, said, “This new potato seed variety was planted to test performance. Judging by the yield, it gives us confidence that it will produce very well.” Dorothée Ntabanganyimana from Kinigi Sector added, “We planted just 200 kilograms and got more than a ton. Cyerekezo will help us become food secure and earn income.”
Cyerekezo is currently in its multiplication phase, where high-performing seeds are replanted to build larger stock. Its success is credited not only to improved genetics but also to cooperative support structures, including seed distribution programs and livestock initiatives that help members reinvest in their farms.
RAB’s senior potato agronomist, Dr. Anastase Nduwayezu, said, “From what we’ve seen with Cyerekezo, a single plant can yield up to 15 tubers. The variety is productive, visually healthy, and disease-resistant.”
Cyerekezo complements another promising innovation: genetically engineered (GE) potatoes developed in partnership with the International Potato Center (CIP) to resist late blight naturally. Cyerekezo and GE potatoes are examples of agricultural biotechnology in action, using science to improve disease resistance, boost yields, and reduce chemical use, directly addressing farmers’ challenges. Field trials have yielded 40 to 50 tonnes per hectare, compared to one or two tonnes from farmers relying on expensive fungicides.
Dr. Eric Magembe, a biotechnologist at CIP
“These varieties may look like the ones we know, but the science inside is extraordinary,” says Dr. Eric Magembe, a biotechnologist at CIP. “They’re built from African knowledge, by African scientists, for African problems.”
The ripple effects extend beyond yields. Rwanda hosts around 150,000 beekeepers managing 650,000 hives, many of which were lost due to pesticide drift from potato fields. Reduced chemical use promises to revive pollinator populations, safeguarding ecosystems and food security.
Potato is a major food and cash crop in Rwanda, particularly in the northern and western highlands — including Rutsiro, Burera, Musanze, Nyabihu, and parts of Rubavu. These regions produce over 80% of the country’s potatoes, supplying local markets and regional trade. However, production slows during Season C (July to September), when fields are prepared for the next cycle, causing supply drops and price fluctuations.
To stabilize the market, the government regulates prices between RWF 500 and 1,000 per kilogram, and sometimes imports potatoes from eastern DRC during the rainy off-season.
Once Rwanda’s harvest resumes after October, surplus potatoes flow across the border. At peak production, over 50 tons of Rwandan potatoes cross into Goma daily, supporting regional trade and boosting farmer incomes.
For cooperatives like Dukomeze Ubuzima, Cyerekezo represents more than a new seed — it is a promise. From a modest start of 45 members in 2014, mostly people living with disabilities, the cooperative has grown to over 500 members, including youth and elders managing more than five hectares of farmland. Jean Damascène Sinzabaheza, the cooperative’s president, says, “From one plant, we’re getting 10 to 15 potatoes. We planted it on a small plot, multiplied it, and now we’re ready to expand.”
Rwanda’s 2025 Season A potato production rose to 475,785 tonnes, a 3% increase over the previous year, thanks to better seeds, expanded land, and irrigation efforts. Experts believe varieties like Cyerekezo and GE potatoes could push yields even higher, unlocking export opportunities to Burundi and DRC.
For farmers like Jeanne Mukamana, these advances are about more than numbers. “If I can grow potatoes without spraying,” she says, “I’ll focus on improving my soil, my seeds, and my future. I won’t dread every rainy day anymore.”
Rwanda’s journey with potatoes — from traditional varieties to high-yielding Cyerekezo and cutting-edge GE crops — embodies a larger story of resilience, innovation, and sustainable food systems. As the local proverb reminds us: Roho nzima itura mu mubiri muzima — a healthy soul lives in a healthy body, and a healthy crop yields abundantly.
