New cassava mosaic detected in Rwanda

An official from the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB) on Wednesday announced that the new cassava mosaic that has been affecting the regional countries has entered Rwanda and has now affected farmers. The Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) was reported by the UN agency Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recently in the region and it has been hindering different regional countries like Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. In an interview with Xinhua, Gervais Ndashaka a cassava expert in the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB) confirmed the existence of disease and said that it has already affected eastern province of Rwanda. "Yes we have this disease and it's apparently hindering farmers in eastern province and there is possibility of spreading to other parts of the country," he said. The expert said they have embarked on sensitization process to inform all the farmers in the country about the virus as well as introducing new types of cassava that are resistant as this will help to eliminate the disease. The FAO reported that Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) is on the verge of becoming an epidemic, calling for an urgent increase in funding, research, training, surveillance and other measures to help farmers and breeders.