Kigali - Today on 30^th November 2022 at Gasabo District Office, the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA), with the support of GIZ Rwanda, has held a one-day training workshop to the attention of LCF beneficiary companies and cooperatives dealing with agro-processing on standards compliance towards certification. The workshop was organized in close collaboration with Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) and Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA). 

The ultimate objective of this workshop is to provide interventions to the challenges that are faced by LCF supported companies/projects which majorly operate in agro-processing in regards to standards compliance towards certification.

On behalf of the Director General, Mr. NGENDAHIMANA Pascal, Division Manager of Local Economic Development at LODA, emphasized on the proper utilization of LFC grant disbursed to beneficiaries as per the terms of agreement between companies/cooperatives and their respective districts. “I would like to remind you that if the funds are not properly used, they are reimbursed to the main funder, which is GIZ, as per the agreement, but this not our expectation. We rather expect you to reimburse this money through your personal and household development, job creation and sustainability of your businesses”, he said.

Mr. NGENDAHIMANA also reiterated the long terms expected results of this workshop. “What we expect from you is to abide by the technical guidance you are getting from these institutions in charge of standards and certification right now and onwards. You are requested to embark on the process to meet the high need of standards for safety compliance and market competitiveness. You should always bear in mind that your agro-processing produce has a direct effect on consumers’ health”, he added on.

Participants to this workshop enthusiastically welcomed this long due training and expressed their expectations from the standards and certification institutions hereto represented.

KANKWANZI Anastasie, from Gahara, Kirehe, the representative of CTAGA Uburyohe Ltd, a company dealing with pineapple processing, shared her feelings with this reporter about this workshop. “I expect a lot from this workshop since I can see all the institutions whose services I strongly need for my business are here represented. My standards certificate has expired and I am obliged to renew it. I have seen that the two institutions in charge of standards and food security are respectively represented and I am therefore ready to go by their advice. I will also approach LODA which is the mother institution of LCF that financially supports SMEs, and I hope they are ready to help us address the financial limitations we are facing”, said the jubilant Anastasie. She revealed that her company, in partnership with another Tuzamurane Cooperative, benefited from a 30 million grant.

MANIRAGABA Emmanuel, representing ISANGE Ltd from Rulindo District said that “ISANGE Ltd is involved in processing banana produce and manufactures the local beer labeled “ISANGE”. We are often facing challenges linked with non-observance to the required standards by RSB and RFDA due to the fact that their certificates are hardly obtained. So, when our product is brought to market uncertified, consumers are redundant in trusting in and purchasing it”. Earlier on, ISANGE Ltd equally benefited from 30 million grant under LCF as revealed by Emmanuel.

The Local Competitiveness Facility (LCF) is a matched grant facility supporting the business partnerships in value chain development in nine districts including Kirehe, Gatsibo, Rulindo, Burera, Huye, Gisagara, Nyamagabe, Karongi and Nyamasheke. Under its 3^rd Call, a round of 76 projects submitted by companies/cooperatives forming 153 partnerships mainly operating in sectors of agro-processing have benefited from a financial grant totaling 1,8 billion Frw. They are also being technically supported to sustain their businesses, create jobs and thus have a positive impact on local economic and community development.