Kigali — The Japanese government through its International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has provided fertilisers worth 300 million Japanese Yen (approximately $3.3 million) to Rwanda.

The fertilisers, to be distributed across the country to support Rwanda's effort to increase the agricultural production of mainly Irish potatoes, have come under Japanese grant assistance for the underprivileged farmers scheme initiated last year.

The Resident Representative of JICA Rwanda Office, Mr. Hiroshi Murakami handed about 3,149 Metric Tons of NPK 17-17-17 sacks of fertilisers to the Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Ms. Agnes Kalibata in a ceremony held last week in Kigali.

"We hope, without doubt, that this initiative will contribute to the crop intensification program and see the sector performing more than 2009," Mr. Murakami said during the handover ceremony.

Rwanda's agricultural sector serves as the backbone for the national economy, providing food for the population.

Available figures indicate that from January to June 2009, the agricultural sector performed better than the previous year. Food crops grew by 19% in season A and 6.6% in season B of 2009.

The fertilizer to be used in season B of 2010 starting from February will boost the government's Crop Intensification Program (CIP).

Kalibata said that since Rwanda started CIP in 2007, setting a target of the distributing 56,000 tons of fertilisers every year meaning that at least 50% of the population would get fertilisers, presently only 25% is covered.

"We even have hope of achieving Millennium Development Gaol one (MDG 1) of eradicating poverty because farmers who have access to these fertilisers are able to access other things they need in their lives definitely changing their lives," Said Ms. Kalibata.