Key Takeaways
- The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is participating in a new $15 million crop biotechnology initiative in Rwanda.
- The five-year Rwanda Capacity Building (BioCap) Project is supported by the Gates Foundation.
- A Centre of Excellence for Crop Biotechnology will be established at the RAB Rubona Station.
- Research will focus on cassava, potato, and banana disease resistance.
- The initiative aims to strengthen Rwanda’s research, regulatory, and seed systems capacity.
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Partners on Rwanda BioCap Project
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is part of a new international initiative to establish a Centre of Excellence for Crop Biotechnology at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) Rubona Station in Huye District, Rwanda. The effort is part of the Rwanda Capacity Building (BioCap) Project, a five-year, $15 million program supported by the Gates Foundation.
The BioCap Project aims to improve agricultural productivity and food security by strengthening Rwanda’s capacity to develop, regulate, and deploy improved crop varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases and tailored to national priorities.
Research Focus on Priority Food Crops
Researchers based at the Centre of Excellence will focus on three crops that are central to Rwanda’s food and economic security. These include cassava varieties resistant to cassava brown streak disease, potato varieties resistant to late blight, and farmer-preferred banana types such as Scandisi and Jaggi that are resistant to banana Xanthomonas wilt and Fusarium wilt.
Cassava brown streak disease poses a significant threat to food security across East Africa, while late blight remains one of the most destructive diseases affecting potato production in Rwanda. Banana Xanthomonas wilt and Fusarium wilt continue to affect banana yields, a staple crop for many Rwandan households.
Nigel Taylor, PhD, Vice President of Impact and Dorothy J. King Distinguished Investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, said, “The Danforth Center is excited to be a partner in this important initiative to strengthen capacity for crop biotechnology in Rwanda.” He added that the collaboration builds on existing work with RAB to deliver virus-resistant cassava to smallholder farmers.
Strengthening Capacity, Regulation, and Seed Systems
Beyond crop development, the BioCap Project will invest in research infrastructure and human capacity development. The initiative will also support Rwanda’s ability to integrate biotech crops into performance trials, seed systems, and extension services. In addition, the program will help generate regulatory, environmental, and food safety data to ensure that biotech crops are safe and effective for farmers and consumers.
Solange Uwituze, State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, noted that Rwanda’s agriculture sector continues to face challenges from emerging pests and diseases, as well as climate-related stresses.
Florence Uwamahoro, Acting Director General of RAB, said the project will strengthen seed aggregation and certification pipelines and enhance public–private partnerships to support broader farmer access to improved crop varieties.
International Collaboration and Long-Term Objectives
In addition to the Rwandan government and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, partners in the BioCap Project include the International Potato Center (CIP), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Michigan State University, and Alliance for Science Rwanda.
The initiative aims not only to deliver improved crop varieties but also to build long-term national expertise and position Rwanda as a regional leader in crop biotechnology.
