In Rwanda, Eni is launching a new research center as part of its strategy to decarbonize African countries.
Multiple partnerships
In Rwanda, Eni signs four agreements with the government to develop innovative joint initiatives. These cover agriculture, forest ecosystem protection and technology. The health sector is also covered.
The first agreement signed concerns agriculture. The National Agency for Research and Industrial Development will launch the first “open air laboratory” on the African continent. The project will use precision agriculture techniques to produce seeds for oilseed crops in Rwanda.
Eni had already undertaken similar initiatives in other African countries. The company cultivates sustainable raw materials on degraded and abandoned lands. In addition, the company provides soil analysis using drones.
A second agreement aims to protect forests and generate carbon credits with the help of the technology start-up Rainforest Connection. Again drones will be used to detect threats such as illegal logging or hunting of protected species. This use of artificial intelligence will help preserve the biodiversity of the Volcanoes National Park where mountain gorillas are present.
Political support
The Eni Foundation is also working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) to strengthen maternal and child health services. The company will build maternity wards and train health personnel in four districts of the country: Gisagara, Musanze, Nyagatare and Rulindo. The project targets a population of 1.5 million people and will address obstetrical emergency management as a priority.
Finally a cooperation between Eni and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation will support all the above agreements. Rwanda and Eni will work to jointly share these technologies while including the country’s young companies. Stakeholders in the agricultural, technology, environmental and health sectors have been very enthusiastic about these agreements.
“Just seven months after the Memorandum of Understanding with Rwandan institutions, we are launching activities in sectors of common interest. We will work together to develop concrete projects for the decarbonization of the country, taking advantage of an ideal business environment to develop innovative solutions and agribusiness activities generating high added value.”
To date, the technology and agricultural sector employs over 60% of the workforce and contributes 25% of Rwanda’s GDP. The country is particularly committed to the energy transition. All these reasons led Eni to sign an agreement with Rwanda in April 2022.
