The initiatives are part of Eni's just transition strategy to support the decarbonisation of African countries
Eni signed today in Kigali four agreements with the Government of Rwanda to develop joint innovative initiatives in the fields of agriculture, the protection of unique forest ecosystems, technologies and health.
In the agricultural sector, the agreement signed with the National Industrial Research and Development Agency provides for the launch of a pilot project for the production of seed varieties for oil crops and the use of drones for soil analysis and crop monitoring. The project, which represents the first "open-air laboratory" on the African continent, will use the most advanced precision agriculture techniques with the aim of producing quality seeds in Rwanda which will be used in the agri-feedstock initiatives launched by Eni in other African countries, to grow sustainable raw materials on degraded and abandoned land, not in competition with the food chain.
The second agreement, with the Rwanda Development Board and the non-profit tech startup Rainforest Connection, aims to protect forests and generate carbon credits. The parties will experiment with cutting-edge technologies in areas with high levels of biodiversity, including the Volcanoes National Park, a unique ecosystem due to the presence of mountain gorillas. In the trial, autonomous drones and acoustic sensors will be used which, through artificial intelligence algorithms, will make it possible to detect potential threats, such as illegal cuttings or hunting for protected species, responding to alarms with immediate targeted interventions.
In the health sector, Eni Foundation together with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) have signed a three-year agreement for the strengthening of basic maternal-child health services, with particular attention to the management of obstetric emergencies, in four districts of the country: Gisagara, Musanze, Nyagatare and Rulindo, with a reference population of about 1.5 million people. The intended beneficiaries are mothers and children, vulnerable groups and health personnel. The initiative involves the construction of healthcare infrastructure (maternity wards) and a capacity development and training program for healthcare communities and personnel, in line with the mission of the Eni Foundation.
Finally, the cooperation agreement between Eni and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation will have a transversal role in supporting initiatives in the various areas of common interest: from precision agriculture to forest monitoring and health. The parties will work closely to disseminate these technologies and create synergies with the country's startups.
Commenting on the signing, Luigi Ciarrocchi, Director of CCUS, Forestry and Agri-feedstock of Eni, said:
“Just 7 months after the memorandum of understanding with the Rwandan institutions, we are launching activities in areas of common interest. We will work together to develop concrete projects for the decarbonisation of the country, leveraging on an ideal business environment for testing innovative solutions and high value-added agribusiness activities".
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of RDB, said: “The signing of the collaboration agreements in different sectors is a testament to what can be achieved when the public and private sectors work together to achieve sustainable goals. The agreements are in line with Rwanda's targets to become an innovation hub and we are delighted that Eni is committed to being our partner in this journey”.
The Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije, said: “We are delighted to partner with Eni to contribute to primary and secondary healthcare with high impact interventions. We look forward to working together on implementation with the districts involved. This is undoubtedly the beginning of a long collaboration that we hope to extend to other areas in the future”.
With the agreements signed, Eni's activities in the country kick off, in continuity with the memorandum of understanding signed with the Rwandan government on April 8, 2022, capitalizing Rwanda's know-how in the technological and agricultural sector, which employs more than 60% of the employed contributing 25% of the GDP. Rwanda has in fact become in recent years a regional and international hub of innovation with a growing focus on the energy transition.