Interview: Chinese Juncao technology helps Rwandan farmers alleviate poverty

KIGALI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Juncao mushroom technology has significantly enabled Rwandan farmers to alleviate poverty and improve household nutrition, Permanent Secretary in the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources Olivier Kamana has said.

"The Juncao technology has considerably improved our farmers' lives. It brings mushrooms that are edible in our households, helping us alleviate poverty and improve household nutrition," Kamana told Xinhua on the sidelines of an African regional workshop on applications of Juncao technology, in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, on Tuesday.

He said several small and medium-sized enterprises are involved in the cultivation of mushrooms using Juncao technology which has boosted household income.

Poor families that are engaged in the cultivation of mushrooms using Juncao technology are able to generate income from mushroom sales, which has enabled them to pay school fees for their children and access household medical care, Kamana noted.

"The technology is environmentally friendly, it helps protect our environment and it can be practiced on a small plot of land or even indoors. It is not complicated and this makes it highly beneficial to our communities," Kamana added.

Mediatrice Hatungimana, a scientist in the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, highly praised Juncao technology as an innovation that improves household nutrition and income generation among Rwandan farmers who cultivate mushrooms using the technology.

"The technology plays a very big role in nutrition and economic purposes. In Rwanda, we are focusing on reducing malnutrition levels. Mushroom farming is key to reducing malnutrition," she told Xinhua.

"Through this technology, people can increase mushroom yield, take surplus to markets and get income for their household needs. People can become rich from this type of farming technology," she emphasized.

Hatungimana said that Rwandan farmers who are engaged in Juncao mushroom technology farming appreciate the governments of Rwanda and China for introducing the technology in Rwanda and the bilateral cooperation existing between the two countries.

The four-day workshop has brought together over 100 participants including officials, experts in Juncao technology, farmers' representatives, representatives from the UN, civil society organizations, and the private sector, among others.