RUSIZI, Rwanda, May 26 — Rwanda has launched a school feeding initiative using iron-rich bio-fortified beans in a bid to reduce high rates of child anemia and malnutrition in the country’s western region, where nearly 40% of children under five suffer from anemia.

The project, known as Scaling Sustainable School Feeding Innovations (3SFI), was officially launched on Tuesday in Rusizi District after operating quietly for six months across schools in western Rwanda.

Government officials and researchers say the initiative aims to address what they describe as a “hidden nutrition crisis” in a country where beans are eaten daily but many children still lack essential micronutrients.

According to project data, anemia affects 39.8% of children aged six to 59 months in western Rwanda, while nearly one in three children under five is stunted. More than one in five households face food insecurity.

Implemented by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT through the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), and funded by Switzerland’s Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the project operates in 509 schools across Karongi, Nyamasheke and Rusizi districts.

The program had initially targeted 300 schools.

By the time of the official launch, the project had distributed 18.5 metric tons of iron-rich bean seeds, established 1,901 demonstration plots, tested soils at 283 schools and trained more than 1,100 school staff in improved farming practices.

Project coordinators said a harvest of 427 metric tons of beans was expected within weeks.

“With just six months, this initiative has reached 509 schools, trained over 1,000 teachers and support staff, and established 1,900 school and community demonstration plots,” said Dr. Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary at Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources.

“These are primary schools and this is real institutional transformation,” she said during the launch ceremony held at the Mantis Marina Bay HoteL.

Rwanda consumes more beans per capita than any other country globally, with the average citizen eating about 38 kilograms annually. Beans are served on 97% of school menus and often eaten up to five times a week.

Researchers behind the project say the issue is not lack of consumption, but the nutritional content of conventional bean varieties commonly available in markets.

The bio-fortified varieties developed by PABRA contain higher levels of iron and are designed to improve iron intake without requiring families to change eating habits.

“The fix does not require changing behavior. It requires changing seeds,” project officials said during presentations at the launch.

“These iron-rich beans are very productive and grow well,” said Jean Claude Rubyogo, Head of Global Bean Program and PABRA Director at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT.

“We are confident that they will provide sufficient production,” he added.

Rubyogo said Rwanda’s schools require at least 22,000 tons of beans annually, making community involvement essential for long-term supply.

“This project is not just about schools,” he said. “We are also looking at parents who are around schools.”

Under the initiative, schools receive high-iron bean seeds, fertilizer and soil support, while nearby communities are linked through demonstration farms and nutrition awareness programs.

Swiss officials described the project as part of broader efforts to support climate-smart agriculture and improve resilience against food insecurity.

“This project promotes climate-smart agriculture through drought-resistant bean varieties, improved soil fertility management, and sustainable farming practices,” said Ueli Mauderli, Deputy Head of Mission at the Swiss Embassy in Rwanda.

The project aligns with Rwanda’s Second National Strategy for Transformation, which prioritizes modern agriculture and reducing malnutrition, officials said.

Rwanda’s national school feeding program currently serves about 1.26 million primary school children nationwide.

Officials say the western Rwanda pilot could shape future expansion of bio-fortified school feeding programs across the country.