![\"State](\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/State-Minister-of-Agriculture-Honorable-Jean-Chrisostome-Ngabitsinze-giving-a-speech.jpg\")
The meeting attracted different stakeholders from research, government departments, development partners, local leadership, private sector food processors and seed multipliers, and farmers. The week showcased the importance of cassava in the country, looking at the progress made in cassava research and development plan, and laying common strategies for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Farmers named new cassava varieties as part of the opening activities at the three-day event.\u00a0 The farmers had tested the varieties in their farms and tasted different recipes from them in their homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mrs C\u00e9sarie Kantarama, Chairperson of Ingabo Syndicate that hosted the naming ceremony, said, \u201cThis naming event is very important for Rwandan cassava farmers. Like the way the government of Rwanda allows Rwandans and some influential international people to name baby gorillas, the named varieties are our \u2018baby gorillas\u2019 as cassava farmers.\u201d She said this, referring to the new varieties\u2019 anticipated impact on the farmers and Rwanda\u2019s food and income security as a country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Farmers named the new varieties according to their efficiency, production, and growth period. The names of the six varieties are Biseruka, Tegereza, Gikungu, Buryohe, Nsizebashonje, and Tebuka, respectively meaning, stand tall, just wait, get rich, taste sweet, can\u2019t be hungry, and mature early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vedaste Bapfakurera, who named the Buryohe (taste sweet) variety, said: \u201cI tested this new variety and confirm that it is very high yielding within 12 months, has tasty boiled roots, leafy vegetables (isombe<\/em>), et ubugali<\/em> (paste mingled from cassava flour).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur main purpose as RAB is to develop and avail improved varieties to farmers that are resistant to pests and diseases, mainly cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava mosaic disease (CMD). We have initiated this activity of naming the new varieties with Kinyarwanda names, so that farmers can easily identify and use them,\u201d said Dr Athanase Nduwumuremyi, Head of the cassava program at RAB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rwanda currently cultivates about 200,000 hectares of cassava country-wide and an approximate average yield of 14.5 t\/ha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith the new varieties named and launched today, we hope to achieve increased production from 14.5 t\/ha to between 30 and 40 t\/ha. And the new varieties are promising since they are reported to be yielding between 35 and 45 t\/ha,\u201d Minister Ngabitsinze emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2007, the Government of Rwanda started the crop intensification program, with cassava among the prioritized crops. However, it has been facing many challenges, including two deadly diseases: CMD (locally known as Ububembe) and CBSD (locally known as Kabole), which have disrupted cassava production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Francois](\"https:\/\/iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Francois-Nsanzintwari-with-the-Tebuka-mature-early-variety-which-he-named.jpg\")