Making quality seed accessible across Rwanda

From research plots to rural fields in Rwamagana District, Emma Uwera is helping strengthen Rwanda’s food system by making quality seed more accessible to farmers. Uwera, founder and Managing Director of I&J Harvest Limited, supplies maize, bean and soybean seeds across the country with a focus on reaching farmers beyond Kigali. “I wanted to make sure farmers could access quality seeds close to where they live,” she says.

Her path began in agricultural research, where she saw a gap between improved seed varieties and farmers’ day-to-day realities, especially as climate pressure grows and rainfall patterns become less predictable. Seed production at I&J is tightly managed, from hybrid maize pollination to drying, treating and packaging, often in two-kilogram bags ready for farmers.

The work also supports livelihoods. “At peak times, we can have about 200 people working in a single day,” Uwera notes, alongside six permanent staff. The company works with more than 850 farmers across six districts, the majority women, combining seed sales with training and demonstration plots.

Looking ahead, Uwera plans to expand into additional districts and support more women and young people to start seed businesses of their own.

Source: Rwanda New Times