Rwanda's pig population is increasing
High income in Rwanda has stimulated the pork consumption leading to an increase of 76% in the national pig herd in the last five years, reports Rwanda's New Times newspaper.
Rwanda pig population is currently accounting for 1.7 million head, according to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture an Animal Resources (MINAGRI). The growth has been driven by the growing appetite for pork, disease control in pigs, availability of animal feeds, and high returns that farmers get from pig farming.
"People have understood that the pig breeds we are raising are hygienic, such that they go to the butchery and buy pig meat", mentions Jean Claude Shirimpumu, chairman of Rwanda's Pig Farmer Association (RFPA).
In collaboration with RPFA, modern pig slaughterhouses are being constructed in Rulindo, Rubavu and Kigali for value chain.
On plans in place to develop this livestock subsector, and future undertakings, Dr Theogene Rutagwenda, Director General of Animal Resources Development at MINAGRI, cited a small livestock project in Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) that focuses on pigs especially in Southern and West parts of Rwanda.
“We have just elaborated a livestock master plan targeting an increase of 239% of pig meat in the next 5 years moving from 19,000 to 67,000 tonnes of pork,” he added.
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