The ITSCI Programme is preparing to launch electronic data collection in Rwanda following a week-long training programme for field teams held in September.
From 07 to 12 September, ITSCI teams trained 43 field officers from the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) in Kigali. RMB Field Officers are trained by ITSCI field teams to conduct mineral tagging and record traceability information from mine to export. ITSCI supplies free of charge tags and logbooks, or, if data is collected electronically, the relevant equipment such as tablets, to the state services.
Over the week, RMB Fields Officers were trained on the use of the electronic data collection system, which will be deployed in over 1,000 ITSCI monitored mine sites in Rwanda. The training covered the use of tablets, barcode scanning, completion of electronic forms, receipt printing, and online and offline data synchronisation.
Participants learned how the system is used to capture and check data at each stage of the supply chain, and, through practical exercises, field officers gained hands-on experience in digital traceability, entering transaction data, generating receipts, and uploading records, ensuring accurate and timely traceability information. This training will help Field Officers to effectively support the implementation and day-to-day operation of electronic data collection.
The ITSCI Programme is now working closely with RMB leadership on the final steps ahead of the launch. The transition to electronic data collection in a second ITSCI implemented country marks an exciting continuous improvement for the ITSCI Programme, leveraging digital technology to deliver greater efficiency, visibility, and real-time insight across the mineral supply chain.
This digitisation effort will improve the speed of data transmission, reduce administrative burdens, reduce manual data entry errors, improve data quality, and provide more timely access to information for companies participating in the ITSCI Programme. These benefits build on lessons learned from ITSCI’s earlier successful implementation of electronic data collection in Burundi.
Electronic data collection is only one component of responsible mineral supply chains. Traceability is only meaningful if combined with robust due diligence measures, including regular continuous field monitoring by ITSCI field teams, risk management, and multi-stakeholder engagement. The digitisation effort complements and reinforces these due diligence activities, helping stakeholders to use traceability information more effectively to identify, assess and address risks in their supply chains.
As preparations continue, ITSCI looks forward to working with Rwandan government partners to bring the system into operation and further support transparency, accountability, and responsible sourcing in Rwanda’s 3T minerals sector.
About the ITSCI Programme in Rwanda
In Rwanda, ITSCI monitors over 1,000 artisanal and small-scale mines, supporting over 39,000 miners with their activities. The ITSCI Programme has been implemented in Rwanda since 2011, supporting ASM formalisation, company development through improved governance and strengthened safety, as well as community benefits. Find out more page 23-24 of our latest annual report: https://www.itsci.org/reporting/.