May22, 2022, The Belgium Ambassador to Rwanda, His Excellency Bert Versmessen visited the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board-Muhanga Station where they visited the Pig Artificial Insemination Center.

On his arrival, the Ambassador and his team were received by RAB Staffs that work in the center where they described to them how the center works. After that, they witnessed how swine sperms are processed from boar to cold room via laboratory. He later visited Zipline Rwanda, Muhanga Branch, to witness how drones are being used to deliver pig semen to pig farmers in remote areas in line to facilitate them to access to improved breeds and boost the pig industry.

The Ambassador Bert Versmessen later on Wednesday on 25 May 2022 visited a Livestock Famer School located in Gisagara District in Save Sector which he praised its participation towards improving the pig farming and wellbeing of the farmer.

The Pig Field Farmer School is a self-centered method where a pig breeder learns by doing. Within this approach, selected breeders are trained to be facilitators of breeding groups. Facilitators are trained by senior trained Facilitators.

Training is carried out in pigsty based on the classification principle: pigpen is a school; the pig is a teacher. During the training, facilitator work with groups of pig farmers to help them learn by doing. They learn a proper way to feed a pig, pig monitoring by collecting pig information (weight, behavior, reproduction…).

The Belgium funded project PRISM-ENABEL and Rwanda through the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board partner in developing inclusive and sustainable feed, pig and poultry value chain in line with the market demands and professional smallholder production systems.