You are at the section Introduction to fruit tree cultivation workshop Rwanda
In Rwanda, about 60% of the consumed fruits are imported, leading to higher prices and making access difficult for a large portion of the population. This situation often results in malnutrition issues among the most vulnerable populations. Additionally, for adults, fruits are considered as occasional treats mostly reserved for children.
Farmers are losing interest in fruit farming due to the time required to achieve a return on investment.
Indeed, it can take between 1 and 5 years for a tree to start producing fruits, making the process slow and less affordable for local communities. Small-scale farming operations further limit their ability to plan for the long term.
Moreover, a portion of the harvest is directed towards the agri-food industry or for export, further reducing the local availability of fruits for domestic consumption.
To improve this situation, it would be necessary to support and encourage farmers to invest in fruit farming. This would help reduce dependence on imports and increase access to fruits for the entire Rwandan population. To achieve this, the organization 'Les Ateliers Ouverts' has taken the initiative to propose a pilot project for fruit tree cultivation workshops. This workshop has three main objectives:
Fighting malnutrition
Fighting soil erosion
Fighting rural exodus
