The World Bank Vice President, Operations Policy and Country Services, Hartwig Schafer, has commended farmers in Rulindo District for working hard to increase productivity.

Schafer was visiting farmers in Buyoga Sector, in the company of government officials on Wednesday.

They toured various activities supported by the World Bank such as land management, compost production and improved farming projects which have greatly increased crop production and improved livelihoods.

Over the past six years, the World Bank has been supporting the Ministry of Agriculture through a project dubbed ‘Land Husbandry, Water Harvesting and Hillside Irrigation Project’ (LWH-RSSP), which helps farmers improve methods of farming to increased production.

With LWH support, farmers in Muyanza site managed to improve farming systems and the returns are huge, according to officials.

LWH targets to increase agricultural productivity and commercialisation on the hillsides of Rwanda.

"I am impressed by your hard work to transform agriculture in this area. I thank you for your commitment to improve your livelihoods and incomes,” Schafer told the farmers.

He thanked the farmers and the Government for ensuring the sustainability of the scheme.

"The World Bank can’t do it alone without hard working farmers like you and the government support to make sure that poverty is eradicated in rural areas. You’re not only helping your families, but the whole nation, and I encourage you to make use of the project investments for a better future,” Schafer told Rulindo farmers.

Through LWH support, farmers in Muyanza site have undertaken initiatives such as the use of land management techniques, production of compost and improved farming methods which have greatly increased produce. During the visit, farmers showcased their achievements thanks to the WB support.

"My life has changed for the better after recording increased crop produce,” said Innocent Habakubaho, one of the project beneficiaries.

"I used to work as a driver but the salary I got was meagre, it couldn’t sustain my family. I abandoned that job after learning that LWH had started to teach farmers in my area about sustainable agriculture.

‘‘I started implementing what the project taught us which enabled to get good harvest,” he added.

Before the project, the community experienced food insecurity that gave rise to high malnutrition rates. Today, farmers in the area are food secure. The project promoted economic development in households and malnutrition rate has sice dropped, they said.

Agriculture minister Geraldine Mukeshimana called on farmers to utilise the opportunities presented to them to improve their welfare.

"We are aiming at eradicating poverty in the country through improved farming methods and better and sustainable land management,” she said.

LWH targets to develop 1,511 hectares with comprehensive land husbandry technologies in the rain-fed area, and 1,100 hectares developed with irrigation system.

The total site beneficiaries are currently 9,096 households grouped in 367 self-help groups with 39,189 people, 52.09 per cent of them females.

In the treated areas of Muyanza site, farmers who adopted modern farming practices have been able to grow maize and beans on rotational basis which resulted into increased yields from 0.7 tonnes /hectare to 4 tonnes/hectare for maize, and 0.6 tonnes/hectare to 3tonness/hectare for beans.

More than 50 per cent of the land has been made productive.

A dam and irrigation scheme are due to be set up on hillsides, which will enable farmers to cultivate crops all year round, according to the officials.

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