Q1. Experience as a youth in the agriculture sector
- As an African youth engaged in the agriculture sector in my country, the following are my Experience:
After ending my University studies in Department of Crop production in University of Rwanda in college of agriculture , animal sciences and veterinary medicine(CAVM) in July, 2017, I have started my business with a five thousand Rwandan Francs (5000 Rwf) of working capital dealing with the cultivation of carrot on a small piece land of about 2 Ares I was given by my parents in the villages/ rural area where I have harvested of about five bags (5) in which I sold them to the price of 15,000Rwf/bagx5=75000Rwf for the first time,
For the second time, I have increased the piece of land and use of about five Ares where I have cultivated Sugar beet/ beet roots with 250 mg of seeds cost 8000Rwf and harvest 10 bags of the produce and I sold them to the price of approximately equal to 38,000Rwf/bagx10= 380,000Rwf.
Nowadays, I have extended the size of land from 5 Ares to 1 hectare and I use to engage others man powers in my daily activities where more than 1 hundred (100) labors are always deployed temporally during the cultivation season.
To engage into agriculture sectors the following are my motivation:
- I was born in rural area where my family considered agriculture as priority.
- The success stories of some of the farmers and RYAF (Rwanda Youth in Agri-business Forum) leaders E.g. Jean Baptiste Hategekimana and Regis.
- I studied Agriculture/ Crop production in University and I have considered agriculture as a priority.
Q2. Major Achievements and success stories
- As an African youth engaged in the agriculture sector in my country, the following are my Experience:
I have started my business with a five thousand Rwandan Francs (5000 Rwf) of capital dealing with the cultivation of carrot on a small piece land of about 2 Ares I was given by my parents in the villages/ rural area where I have harvested of about five bags (5) in which I sold them to the price of 15,000Rwf/bagx5=75000Rwf for the first time,
For the second time, I have increased the piece of land and use of about five Ares where I have cultivated Sugar beet/ beet roots with 250 mg of seeds cost 8000Rwf and harvest 10 bags of the produce and I sold them to the price of approximately equal to 38,000Rwf/bagx10= 380,000Rwf.
Nowadays, I have extended the size of land from 5 Ares to 1 hectare and I use to engage others man powers in my daily activities where more than 1 hundred (100) labors are always deployed temporally during the cultivation season and now I have the ability to collect the produce of horticultural crops e.g. Beet roots and carrots from different farmers and carrying them to the market as a strategies to generate an income. My action plan, is to hard work as much as possible as youth considered as an agent of changes in agri-business Forum and improve the ways I use to cultivate and increasing the size of land used to grow those crops, improving the production for both quality and quantity.
Q3) what The Rwanda Youth Conference should address
If given an opportunity, I would ask the following questions to the experts at the Rwanda youth conference on each of three sub themes
A) Youth employment and entrepreneurship
Question to ask: What are the contributions of FSN Forum to enhancing youth employment and entrepreneurship and how this forum will impact the different youths engaged in agriculture sector in Africa?
b) Digital innovation to overcome agriculture value chain constraints
Question to ask: Explain how the use of Digital innovation by youth will overcome agriculture value chain constraints?
Thank you very much and god be with you all!!!!!!!
Anastase Nduwayezu