BURERA officials on Wednesday reviewed the district’s annual budget for the Financial Year 2014/2015 upwards by 11 per cent.

Officials said the decision was taken to help fast-track roads construction projects in a bid to help farmers access markets.

The initial budget was Rwf10.5 billion but later increased up to Rwf11.9 billion.

Raymond Kamanzi, the district executive secretary, told Saturday Times that the increase comes as the district plans to help ease farmers’ access to markets to sell their produce.

He said the district will mainly focus on the construction of feeder roads in Cyanika, Butaro and Rugarama sectors, which are fertile yet poor roads in the areas have seen farmers struggle to take their bumper produce to markets.

The district is largely a volcanic area where food crops are more productive, especially Irish potatoes and maize.

"This volcanic area is known to be fertile but the roads are in a sorry state to the extent that farmers find it hard to get their produce to market, we have increased the budget and we are going to rehabilitate roads,” Kamanzi said.

He added that residents were fully engaged in prioritising activities that will be funded during this financial year.

"They are the ones who identified problems hampering their development, with roads, water and electricity among the main issues raised and the district selected the most pressing needs,” he added.

Burera residents have welcomed the decision, saying constructing more feeder roads and repairing bad ones will change their lives.

"It is good that officials decided to construct the road in our sector, we used to sell our agricultural produce at a low cost due to the poor roads, now that we are going to have a road, we are optimistic for better prices for our produce,” said Silas Mudasobwa a resident of Rugarama sector.