Our Journey to Food Security: How We Transformed Our Communities Through Quality Bean Seeds
East Umuhinzi Company (EUC), formed by 20 cooperatives in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, united to address the problem of poor-quality seeds affecting smallholder farmers. Motivated by the desire to improve harvests and community wellbeing, they took charge of seed production, aiming to create high-quality, high-yield seeds that could transform their region’s agriculture. As told by the farmers and leaders of East Umuhinzi Company and our member cooperatives
Coming Together for a Common Goal
When we formed East Umuhinzi Company (EUC) in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, we knew we had to take matters into our own hands. Twenty cooperatives strong, we were tired of watching our fellow smallholder farmers struggle with poor-quality seeds that yielded disappointing harvests year after year. We decided to become the change we wanted to see in our communities.
“We couldn’t just stand by and watch our neighbors fail season after season because of bad seeds,” reflects Jean Damascene Nyirinkindi, our EUC President. “We knew that if we worked together, we could multiply high-quality seeds that would transform our entire region.”
Taking Control of Our Destiny
Getting certified as seed multipliers wasn’t easy, but we were determined. We knew that access to premium seeds – ones that resist pests and diseases, tolerate drought, and deliver high yields with superior nutrition – would be the key to unlocking prosperity for our farming families.
By 2023, our hard work paid off in ways that exceeded our wildest dreams. We produced over 3 metric tons of premium seed beans, and here’s what made us proudest: we offered these life-changing seeds to our farmer members at a 20% discount. We weren’t just growing seeds; we were growing hope and opportunity in our communities.
The Hirwa 35 Success Story
When our member cooperative Hirwa 35 in Rwamagana District partnered with us to multiply seeds on 4 hectares in 2024, we knew we were onto something special. With support from Community Agribusiness Partners, we sourced the finest basic seeds from Rwanda Agricultural Board, carefully selecting the RWR 3194 variety for its regional adaptability, disease resistance, and incredible yield potential.
Every step of the process was a labor of love. Our farmer-members at Hirwa 35 poured their hearts into land preparation, precise seed sowing, meticulous weeding, and vigilant pest control. We weren’t just farming – we were crafting the future of our food security.
“We’ve learned to cultivate seeds that are both highly productive and fast-maturing,” says James Muhirwa, President of Hirwa 35 Cooperative, beaming with pride. “Our community has mastered the art of producing seeds that the market absolutely loves – they mature quickly, resist diseases, are rich in iron, and taste incredible. We’re already planning to package them in 1kg, 2kg, and 5kg sizes to make it even easier for farmers to access them.”
The Transformation We’re Living
The impact on our daily lives has been remarkable. Gaudence Musabyemariya, one of our wise counselors, captures it perfectly: “Seed multiplication within our cooperative has revolutionized how we farm. We now have easy access to quality bean seeds right in our neighborhood. These seeds consistently produce higher yields than the traditional seeds we used to save from harvest to harvest. And the best part? The market pays us premium prices, giving us real opportunities to increase our family incomes.”
Facing Challenges Together
We’re not naive about the obstacles we face. Climate change tests us every season. Charles Nyandwi from Hirwa 35 speaks for many of us: “Shifting weather patterns – the extended droughts and unexpected heavy rains – are our biggest challenges. But we’re hungry for knowledge. We want more training on how to adapt and thrive despite these changes.”
That’s exactly why we embraced the training opportunities offered by Community Agribusiness Partners and RICA. Twenty of our cooperative representatives came together to learn about seed multiplication certification processes, and we left that training energized and empowered. We now understand that every challenge – from bean flies and rust to aphids and unpredictable weather – can be overcome with the right knowledge and practices.
Our Growing Market Success
The future looks brighter than ever. When Rainbow Healthy Food Ltd was introduced as a new buyer for 2025, specifically seeking iron-rich bean varieties for their porridge flour processing, we knew our hard work was paying off. The expanding market isn’t just numbers on a page – it’s real demand for the quality products we’re growing.
We’ve learned to monitor our crops continuously, apply proper pest management, and even implement irrigation systems to combat irregular rainfall. Every technique we master makes us more resilient and more successful.
Looking Forward: Our Vision for the Future
Today, East Umuhinzi Company stands as proof that when farmers unite with purpose and determination, we can achieve incredible things. We’re not just multiplying seeds – we’re multiplying hope, prosperity, and food security for our families and our nation.
Our success story is still being written. Every harvest season, we’re getting closer to our dream of complete self-sufficiency in bean production. We’re not just feeding our families better; we’re building a legacy of food security that will benefit generations to come.
We started as twenty cooperatives with a shared problem. Today, we’re twenty cooperatives with a shared solution – and the pride that comes from knowing we built it ourselves, together.
