Rice growers in Nyagatare District are in a buoyant mood after receiving Rwf100 million worth of farm machinery, saying it will ease operations and boost production.

Muvumba Perimetre Eight rice growers cooperative acquired the farm machinery (five tractors) using a loan from Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD).

The loan is part of BRD’s strategy to support agriculture mechanisation in the country and boost output, officials said at the handover of the equipment in Nyagatare, Eastern Province on Tuesday.

Fulgence Nsengiyumva, the State Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources, said the equipment will go a long way in supporting efforts aimed at promoting agriculture mechanisation in the country. The minister added that mechanisation is essential to increase agriculture production, ensure food security as well as boost farmers’ household income.

"The government is committed to supporting efforts that seek to increase agricultural production,” he said. He added that agriculture mechanisation was in line with the government’s land consolidation programme.

According to him, mechanisation falls under a wider national programme to enhance productivity of the agriculture sector, which employs over 72 per cent of Rwandans. The sector currently contributes over 30 per cent to the country’s GDP.

Government targets 8 per cent growth rate for the sector by 2018 from 6 per cent presently as one of the ways of ensuring sustainable economic development. Commercialisation and mechanisation is one of the key components of the country’s strategic plan for agriculture transformation to reduce household poverty and drive growth in the medium-term.

Speaking at the event, Dr Livingstone Byamungu, the BRD head of investments, said the farm machinery will enhance labour efficiency and farm production per worker.

Huge boost

Sector experts say Rwanda should embrace modern and innovative farming technologies to ensure sustainable food production.

John Mujyarugamba, the president of Muvumba Perimetre Eight rice growers’ cooperative, said lack of farm equipment like tractors and manpower has been a challenge in land preparation, adding that it was also costly for members.

"Those who could not hire tractors from other cooperatives used hoes, which is tedious and time-consuming,” he said.

Munyarugamba added that with mechanisation, farmers will be able to transition from subsistence farming to commercial-oriented agriculture and hence support economic development.

"One of the major factors that hinder the development of the agriculture sector is the use of traditional farm equipment. It is, therefore, imperative that farmers embrace modern technologies to increase yield and quality along value chain,” he added.

The cooperative official said the machinery will help them increase production from five tonnes of rice per hectare to seven tonnes, thanks to "time efficiency and deep tilling of the tractors.”

This will enable the district to meet targets set out in performance contracts, according to Didas Kayitare, the Nyagatare District vice-mayor for economic development.

The cooperative operates in the 1,750 hectares of Muvumba marshland, which cost government over Rwf9 billion to upgrade for rice growing, according to Minister Nsengiyumva.

The marshland covers four sectors of Nyagatare - Rukomo, Tabagwe, Nyagatare, Rwimpasha and Musheri.

"The aim of improving the marshland was to boost food security and help reduce rice imports. Since the marshland is big and can’t be effectively utilised using hand hoes, government supports cooperatives to acquire tractors to boost output,” he said.

The minister pledged government support to farmers so that they are able to buy tractors and irrigation equipment at subsidised prices.

Push for mechanisation

This is a reason the country embarked on its journey of mechanisation in 2009 with the objective of ensuring that least 25 per cent farm operations are mechanised by end of 2017. So far, about 35,000 hectares of land across the country is under mechanisation. With importation of different farm machinery, including 111 tractors and 252 power tillers, rice transplanters and combine harvesters, Rwanda’s mechanisation has risen from less than 3 per cent in 2009 to more than 21 per cent presently.

Cattle keepers embrace rice farming

Like in other districts in the province, it was not easy for farmers in Nyagatare to adopt rice growing as marshlands were used to graze animals.

However, Grace Kampirwa, a farmer in Muvumba marshland, said that has since changed. "Farmers say that marshlands play "double roles” where after harvesting rice, they use stems as cattle fodder while animal waste acts as manure in the marshland,” Kampirwa said.