Frequently Asked Questions

Agricultural biotechnology is a range of tools, including traditional breeding techniques and genetic engineering, that alter living organisms to develop useful products for agriculture.

Yes. Biotech crops approved for commercial use have undergone rigorous safety assessments by national and international regulatory bodies including REMA and RAB in Rwanda. Decades of research and over a trillion meals consumed globally show no health concerns linked to approved biotech crops.

Rwanda has a Biosafety Policy and regulatory framework governed by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB). Applications must include environmental and food safety assessments before any approval is granted.

Cassava is a critical food security crop in Rwanda, grown by millions of smallholder farmers. It provides calories during food-insecure periods and is a major source of household income. Rwanda produces over 1 million tonnes of cassava annually.

The two main diseases are Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD). Both are viral diseases spread by whitefly insects and can cause total crop loss. CBSD in particular destroys the edible root, making infected cassava inedible even when plants look healthy above ground.

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is an invasive pest that arrived in Africa around 2016. It attacks maize by feeding on leaves and burrowing into the stem and cob, causing yield losses of up to 50%. It is resistant to many conventional pesticides and spreads rapidly.

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is the most destructive potato disease worldwide. It spreads rapidly in wet conditions and can destroy an entire potato crop within days if not controlled. Rwandan farmers currently spend heavily on fungicide applications every 7–10 days to manage it.

On September 3rd, 2025, Rwanda's environment regulator REMA granted environmental release approvals for three biotech crops under RABP-CMP: drought-tolerant and insect-resistant maize, late blight resistant potato, and CBSD-resistant cassava. This was the first-ever approval of biotech food crops in Rwanda.