ABOUT AGRO PROCESSING INDUSTRIES Ltd (API)
API is engaged in crop production with particular focus on maize, beans and soya beans.
For the past three years, the company has been producing hybrid seeds and Open Pollinated Varieties (OPVs) for maize, beans and soya beans as well as importation of fertilizers.
API is located in Gabiro, Nyagatare District and has a separate management team that runs its day-to-day business activities. API is a conduit through which APTC contributes to the National Agenda of sustainable food security in terms of Producing affordable Agri-inputs ie improved seeds and fertilizers for import substitution.
Rwanda spends Rwf5 billion on seed imports every year of which maize accounts for 75 per cent of the country’s seed imports. The country imports 3,000 tonnes of maize every year and a combined 1000 tonnes of wheat and soya.
However, Rwanda’s annual maize seed imports are set to drop drastically thanks to a new private sector partnership that seeks to produce hybrid seed locally and address challenges of delays in quality seed distribution to farmers.
The partnership between Agro-Processing Industries (API), One Acre Fund and Western Seed Company (WSC) aims to make Rwanda self-reliant in seeds and be able to export the surplus. There are many benefits from producing seeds locally ; first, they are more affordable, they can be available on time and avoid bureaucracy in procurement for seed import processes.
It also helps in avoiding deterioration of seeds due to long distances, and defaults such as disease that seed can carry from the country of origin as well as unsuitability of seed to the land it is going to be grown. API will be able to supply up to 600tonnes of hybrid maize to farmers in 2019.
