The government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), has published an updated catalogue of crop varieties officially approved for cultivation and commercial seed production, marking a major step in strengthening the country’s agricultural framework and food security strategy.
The National Plant Variety List for 2025, unveiled in a special issue of the Official Gazette on December 31, 2025, enumerates 223 crop varieties spanning 12 key agricultural commodities.
Approved species include maize, soybeans, rice, beans, cassava, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, wheat, barley, sunflower, fodder crops, and sorghum — each vetted for performance, resilience, and suitability across Rwanda’s diverse agro-ecological zones.
Under Rwanda’s agricultural laws, only listed varieties can be produced, certified, and marketed commercially.
While farmers may still plant traditional or unregistered seeds for personal use, certified seeds help curb counterfeit products, limit disease spread, and reinforce quality assurance across seed systems.
Prioritising food security and climate resilience
Maize dominates the list with 81 approved varieties, reflecting its central role as a staple food and priority for national food security. Other crops like sweet potatoes, rice, and beans also feature strongly, underscoring their importance to household nutrition and rural incomes.
Irish potatoes and wheat have significant representation, while crops such as soybeans and barley show gradual expansion.
Specialty crops like sunflower, sorghum, and forage species appear in smaller numbers but occupy strategic niches, particularly in livestock feed and niche markets.
Each entry includes detailed descriptors such as the variety name, origin — often from regional partners like Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — year of registration (predominantly 2022–2023), maturity period, yield expectations, and key traits such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, or enhanced nutritional content.
Some maize varieties boast yields of up to 7–8 tonnes per hectare, with additional lines noted for resilience to challenges like maize leaf necrosis or drought — critical attributes as climate variability intensifies across Rwanda’s farming landscapes.
Revitalising Irish potato production
A notable highlight of the 2025 list is the inclusion of 11 new Irish potato varieties, such as Cyerecyezo, Gisubizo, Kazeneza, Nkunganire, and Ndamira — the first major update in nearly three decades.
Field trials indicate these varieties can lift yields by up to 40 percent, reaching 34–40 tonnes per hectare, while offering strong resistance to late blight, a persistent challenge in Rwanda’s wet highland regions.
The government is also advancing nutrition goals by testing bio-fortified potato strains aimed at combating malnutrition and childhood stunting, complementing Rwanda’s broader strategy to integrate food security and public health outcomes.
Innovations and future outlook
Alongside the variety list, Rwanda has embarked on initiatives to broaden the frontiers of seed innovation. The BioCap Project, launched in December 2025, is a five-year biotechnology programme backed by a $14 million biotechnology centre of excellence.
It aims to develop improved cassava, maize, and potato varieties with enhanced disease resistance and climate adaptability — with pilot releases anticipated by late 2025 or early 2026.
Complementary efforts such as farmer-led trials between 2021 and 2025 have identified high-performing “climate-smart” varieties across maize, rice, potatoes, cassava, cabbage, and onions.
In many cases, these varieties doubled yields and improved resistance to pests, drought, and erratic rainfall, demonstrating the value of grounded, participatory research.
Strategic impact
Agricultural experts say the combined programme of approved seed lists, field-level testing, and biotechnology partnerships could significantly elevate Rwanda’s agricultural productivity, rural incomes, and export potential — aligning with Rwanda’s Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA5) and regional trade standards under COMESA.
As climate pressures mount and food demand grows, this updated crop variety list represents a critical tool for sustainable farming and resilient agrarian livelihoods across Rwanda.
