Most parts of Rwanda, especially in the Eastern Province, are drought prone. This challenge has discouraged many residents from practicing agriculture as a business to improve their living standards. However, this challenge could be solved with a little bit of innovation on the part of farmers by harvesting rain which they can use to irrigate their crops during the dry season.  Rain water harvesting is a process involving collection and storage of rain water (with the help of artificially designed system) that runs off natural or man-made catchment areas such as rooftop, compounds, rock surface, hill slopes or trenches.

Bernard Rugira, a farmer in Musambira sector in Muhanga District, says water harvesting has enabled him to grow crops all year round, conquering the dry spells that characterise the district for most part of the year.

For him, prolonged drought is less of a concern as he uses the water harvested during the rainy season to water his crops and animals. Rugira says he has built about seven water tanks with the capacity to take him throughout the dry weather. The initiative is paying off as he is able to continue operating normally throughout the year and benefit from good prices offered to farmers who produce during dry spells.

Cost of water harvesting storage facilities

Rugira says one can harvest water by trapping it from rooftops or surface runoffs. Water from any of these methods can be stored in both traditional and modern storage facilities, he adds.

He says a 10 cubic meter-tank costs Rwf740,000, while that of five cubic meters is at Rwf390,000. Rugira plans to construct other water harvesting storage facilities using traditional means.

He advises farmers who can’t afford plastic tanks to go for the cheaper options, like building an ordinary traditional tank underground.

"One can only buy new polythene paper sheeting and place it properly in the pit before water is harvested to avoid any possible leakages,” he notes. The top of the pit can be left open or covered with logs. The pit can be dug manually.

Why embrace water harvesting

m Rain water is ideal for irrigation since it is free from minerals, chemicals and salts that are found in piped water.

m Harvested rain water is cost-effective as it only requires initial costs of constructing or buying of the storage facility.

m Harvesting rain water prevents soil erosion and floods by channeling it to the storage facility other than letting it run or gather in one open place.

m Water harvesting reduces demand on piped water. In many areas, where water is scarce, using rain water eases demand on piped water as the harvested lot can be used for non-drinking purposes like feeding animals.

m Harvested water can be stored for long hence helping the farmer in the dry season.

Safety precaution

Rugira says it is important to cover the water storage facilities, especially underground tanks, to avoid any possible death by drowning.

"The storage facility should always be emptied for cleaning once in a while as they could become a breeding ground for lizards and frogs. And if the harvested water is used for other purposes apart from irrigation, it should be kept clean,” cautions Rugira.