Rwanda Parliament reviews new animal health bill

RWANDA  – Rwanda’s Parliament is scrutinising a wide-ranging bill that seeks to overhaul the country’s legal framework governing animal husbandry, animal health and fisheries, in what officials describe as a decisive step toward modernising the sector.

The draft law, presented on February 19 by Agriculture and Animal Resources Minister Telesphore Ndabamenye, proposes consolidating four existing laws into a single piece of legislation. These include the 2008 law on prevention and control of contagious diseases in domestic animals, the 2008 law governing aquaculture and fishing, the 2002 law on domestic animal identification, and the 2013 law on the organisation and functioning of beekeeping.

The proposed legislation is designed to address gaps in the current framework, including outdated institutional references and limited provisions on animal welfare, veterinary regulation, animal movement, transport controls and genetic improvement and conservation of indigenous breeds.

Lawmakers in Rwanda’s Parliament approved the bill in principle, paving the way for further discussion before the Lower Chamber votes on it. 

Ndabamenye told legislators that the bill will strengthen animal identification and traceability systems, improve conservation of local breeds, regulate animal movement and tighten controls on uninspected animal products entering the market. 

The reforms come at a time when African countries are increasingly focused on protecting indigenous livestock genetics from erosion caused by crossbreeding and climate change.

Issues raised in Parliament

During the session, Members of Parliament raised concerns about the persistent threat of zoonotic diseases and their impact on farmers’ livelihoods and public health. Lawmakers pointed to recurring outbreaks affecting cattle and poultry, which have led to livestock losses and reduced household incomes, particularly among smallholder farmers.

MP Phoebe Kanyange questioned measures to curb the spread of cattle diseases, while MP Eliane Mukarusagara raised concerns about the disproportionate losses borne by smallholder farmers. She pressed for clarity on disease response protocols, including whether infected animals should be incinerated or buried, and how burial sites would be managed to prevent soil contamination.

In response, Ndabamenye said the ministry plans to categorise and register farmers along production chains to enable targeted support, particularly for youth and small-scale producers. He also pledged to gradually increase the number of veterinarians to improve surveillance and farmer support nationwide.

On fisheries, the minister pointed to recent successes in public-private collaboration, citing the Kigembe fish farm, where private investors have boosted fingerling production. National fish output has risen by 34 per cent, underscoring the need for further investment and technological innovation.

Rwanda’s animal health challenges

Beyond Parliament’s discussions, Rwanda faces genetic erosion of indigenous breeds.

Across Africa, traditional livestock breeds are under threat from crossbreeding and commercial pressures, raising alarms about biodiversity loss and resilience to climate change. Rwanda’s new bill explicitly prioritises conservation of local breeds, aligning with continental debates on safeguarding genetic heritage.

Kenya has recently taken a notable step in this direction. The African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet), in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and other partners, launched a publication, African Livestock Genetic Resources and Sustainable Breeding Strategies. It highlights the challenges of genetic erosion and offers research-based solutions. It argues that indiscriminate crossbreeding has failed to deliver sustainable results in Africa, instead undermining the resilience of indigenous breeds. 

Other countries are also moving in this direction. Ethiopia has invested in community-based breeding programs to preserve hardy indigenous cattle and sheep breeds, while Uganda has strengthened farmer cooperatives to promote local goat and poultry strains. These initiatives reflect a growing continental consensus that safeguarding genetic diversity is essential for food security and climate resilience.

By embedding genetic conservation into its new legislation, Rwanda is positioning itself within this broader African movement.

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