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Chili farming and transformation

The Legence Group operations, which began in March 2024, are focused on optimizing agricultural production in Rwanda. Their operations currently span one hectare of land located between Lake Gaharwa and Kilimbi, two locations known for their favorable agricultural conditions. The company’s farming practices are aligned with modern techniques aimed at maximizing output and ensuring sustainability.

Here’s an overview of the group's operations based on the provided details:

1. Land Location and Size

  • Land Location: The farming operations are situated between Lake Gaharwa and Kilimbi, a region in Rwanda with suitable agricultural conditions. The proximity to water sources like Lake Gaharwa likely provides easy access to irrigation for crops.
  • Land Size: The farming operation covers one hectare, which is a manageable size for intensive farming. The small scale could indicate a focus on high-value, quality crops with potential for expanding operations as the business grows.

2. Production Volume

  • Weekly Production: The farm produces 2 tons of crops per week. This suggests a focus on intensive farming methods, utilizing the available space effectively to ensure steady output. The scale of production indicates a well-organized operation, likely focusing on high-demand crops or livestock, such as chili peppers or poultry.

3. Agricultural Inputs and Practices

  • Pesticides and Fungicides: The use of pesticides and fungicides indicates that the farm is actively working to protect its crops from pests and diseases, which is essential for ensuring high-quality yields. This is particularly important in regions with varying climatic conditions that can promote pest outbreaks.
  • Fertilizers: The application of fertilizers suggests that the farm is focused on maintaining soil fertility and optimizing plant growth. Fertilizers help boost crop yields and ensure healthy development.
  • Irrigation: Given the farm's location near Lake Gaharwa, irrigation plays a crucial role in ensuring a consistent water supply for the crops. This is essential for farming in regions with varying rainfall patterns, as irrigation helps mitigate water scarcity and promotes steady crop production.

4. Crop Focus

While the specific crops being grown on the hectare aren’t detailed, given the mention of pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers, it’s likely that the operation involves intensive farming of high-value crops, such as chili peppers or other vegetables that require these inputs for optimal growth. This aligns with the focus on chili farming mentioned earlier, and such crops benefit from consistent irrigation and protection from pests and diseases.

5. Sustainability Practices

While using synthetic pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers can boost production, it’s essential for Legence Group to consider sustainable farming practices to reduce environmental impacts over time. Practices like integrated pest management (IPM), organic fertilizers, or crop rotation could help improve long-term sustainability and soil health.

Summary

Legence Group’s operations, which began in March 2024, aim to maximize agricultural productivity on a one-hectare farm located in a strategic area between Lake Gaharwa and Kilimbi. By applying modern farming practices such as fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and irrigation, the farm is capable of producing 2 tons of crops per week. This efficient production model is key to ensuring the sustainability of the business, while also contributing to Rwanda’s agricultural growth.

Harvesting

Selective harvesting 


The Legence Group's practice of selective harvesting, involving the picking of mature fruits and green fruits, is designed to optimize the quality and value of the crops. With a dedicated workforce of 80 harvesters, the farm can maintain precision in harvesting, ensuring that only the best fruits reach the market. This approach enhances efficiency, reduces waste, and aligns the farm's production with market demands, all while supporting consistent and high-quality agricultural output.

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Post- harvest sorting

Quality fruits selection 

After harvesting the chili fruits, they are being sorted to remove both the red chilies and the damaged or infected chilies. This process is very important because the harvest can be rejected by the customer. This process is performed by trained workers. Also, the exporting authorities will have to inspect the product for disease infestations and quality of the fruits as per the international standard.

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