Rwanda is advancing efforts to address malnutrition and stunting by developing bio-fortified Irish potatoes enriched with iron and zinc. As part of the country’s crop intensification programme, these potatoes aim to improve nutrition, especially for children and pregnant women.
Telesphore Ndabamenye, Director General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), highlighted their importance in combating nutritional deficiencies. Currently, 12 bio-fortified potato clones are undergoing trials in various locations, with official release expected in the 2026 agricultural season.
Preliminary trials show promising yields of about 20 tonnes per hectare. Alongside bio-fortified potatoes, Rwanda is promoting crops like vitamin A-enriched sweet potatoes and iron- and zinc-fortified beans to address widespread deficiencies.
The initiative, supported by the International Potato Centre (CIP), is part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to improve nutrition through bio-fortification and GMO technology, including trials for disease-resistant GMO potatoes beginning in February 2025.