Whilst the majority (~80%) of Rwanda’s population depend on agriculture, yields are often adversely affected by a range of factors – including soil insect pests – resulting in significant impacts on food security, incomes and gross domestic product (GDP). However, a biocontrol transfer project, that has made environmentally-friendly crop protection technology originating from China available to farmers in Rwanda, is stabilizing vegetable crop productivity.

As a result of a successful triangular partnership between China, Europe and East Africa, the project led to the selection of five local beneficial nematodes for soil insect pest biocontrol, their mass production and field application in Rwanda. Numerous in-country capacity building activities and a study tour to China facilitated the transfer and adaption of the technology, and laid the foundation for scaling it out to farmers across Rwanda and, potentially, elsewhere in East Africa.