- Eni, an Italian energy company and Rwanda signed four cooperation agreements to develop innovative joint initiatives in agriculture, technology, health and the protection of unique forest ecosystems.
- These agreements come seven months after the signing Memorandum of Understanding between Rwanda and the company in the circular economy and decarbonisation value chain.
Yesterday, Eni, an Italian energy company and Rwanda signed four cooperation agreements to develop innovative joint initiatives in agriculture, technology, health and the protection of unique forest ecosystems. The four agreements were signed with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Health Ministry, the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA), and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
The agreement in the agriculture sector will see the launch of a pilot project to produce varieties of seeds for oil crops and the use of drones for soil analysis and crop monitoring. According to officials, the project, representing the African continent’s first ‘open-air laboratory’, will use the most advanced precision farming techniques to produce quality seeds in Rwanda. This sector is crucial as it employs more than 60 per cent of the workforce and contributes 25 per cent of the GDP.
On the other hand, the agreement signed with RDB and a non-profit tech start-up called Rainforest Connection aims to protect forests and generate carbon credits by using artificial intelligence algorithms; the project experiment will enable the detection of potential threats and respond to alarms with immediately targeted interventions. Furthermore, in ICT and innovation, the country will cooperate with the company in supporting initiatives in the common interest, from precision agriculture to forest monitoring and health, by disseminating technologies and creating synergies with the country’s start-ups.
Also, a three-year agreement was signed in the health sector to strengthen essential maternal and child health services, focusing on managing obstetric emergencies in four country districts. Commenting on the cooperation, Clare Akamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (BRD), said, “The agreements align with Rwanda’s target to be a hub for innovation, and we are glad that ENI is committed to being a partner in this journey.” In addition, Luigi Ciarrocchi, CCUS, Forestry and Agri-Feedstock Director at Eni, said: “We will work jointly to develop concrete projects for the country’s decarbonisation, leveraging on a business environment that is ideal for testing innovative solutions and agribusiness activities generating high-added value”. These agreements come seven months after the signing Memorandum of Understanding between Rwanda and the company in the circular economy and decarbonisation value chain.