Farmers in Burera district are confident of doubling their potato production thanks to new irrigation equipment they acquired recently.
14 irrigation machines and were launched on Tuesday with Rwanda Defense Force officials joining farmers and local leaders to irrigate potato farms in Nyirabironde valley located in Nemba sector, Burera district in the Northern Province.
The valley covers over 420 hectares where members of Cooperative pour la Valorisation des Marais de Burera (COVMB) apply modern farming of various crops such as Irish potatoes, beans and maize among others
Farmers say they practice farming in three seasons namely A, B and Season C but that there is rain shortage in season C.
"We always found it hard to get enough produce during the dry season and we used traditional means to irrigate our land,” Claudine Iyaremye a member of the cooperative.
"It is a good to see senior RDF officers tilling land with us, though we have got irrigation machines, they also need people to operate them and committed to be with us in the future. It is encouraging and hopefully it will help us increase the produce,” Iyaremye noted
Normally, farmers can get 30 tonnes of Irish potatoes per hectare in two first seasons but the produce goes down to a half to 15tonnes per hectare during the season C.
She added she was delighted to see RDF soldiers also venturing into other kinds of support apart from Agriculture such as in Infrastructure, health among others.
"This shows that they care for us and want us to be healthy and live better. People feel happy if they have where to live, have what to eat and can send their kids to school,” she added.
The machines were bought through subsidized method (Nkumnganire) where farmers contribute half of the cost and the government tops up the rest according to officials.
The RDF Citizen Outreach programme started in April and will conclude in July when the country celebrates Liberation day.
RDF’s philosophy now is that the liberation struggle continues only with a paradigm shift from liberating the country from bad leadership to ensuring food security and citizens ‘welfare.
As part of activities, RDF has been working with farmers in Agriculture in various parts to ensure they contribute towards food security.
According to Brig Gen Eugene Nkubito, the Northern Province Division Commandant, working with farmers is in line with ensuring food security and RDF soldiers will keep working with farmers in the valley until they get good produce.
The target is to help cultivate a total of 4,511ha countrywide throughout the programme, according to RDF officials.
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