The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources has launched an exercise to distribute food relief to over 36,000 households comprising over 156,000 members that were affected by prolonged drought in Eastern Province.

Eugene Kwibuka, the Communications Manager at the ministry told The New Times that the drought-affected households are from all seven districts of the province.

At least 41 sectors in these districts were affected.

"Government is responding with 1,790 tonnes of food comprising rice, beans, and maize from the strategic reserves to be distributed to the needy families.

Emmanuel Gasana, the Governor of Eastern Province told The New Times on Friday that the  affected districts include Bugesera with 6,591 households affected, Gatsibo with 2,542 households affected, Kayonza with 15,670 households affected, Kirehe with 8,227 households affected , Ngoma with 800 affected househokds, Nyagatare with 1, 248 households affected and Rwamagana with 378 households affected.

The unusual dry spell had been predicted back in August when the weatherman released the September to December 2021 forecast.

Evariste Tugirinshuti, the president of Maize Farmers’ Cooperatives Federation in Eastern and Southern provinces said in an interview that the prolonged dry spell could cut maize produce by between 40 and 50 per cent.

Tugirinshuti leads a cooperative that brings together some 1,500 maize farmers, majority of whom don’t have irrigation facilities and thus entirely rely on rain.

An assessment by Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board has found that over 37,000 hectares need urgent irrigation intervention to help farmers offset potential losses.

However, quick intervention was carried out on only 8,000 hectares following additional Rwf1.2 billion budget.

Farmers say rains came late when crops had already withered.

Scientists have said that the unusual dry spells are linked to effects of climate change as the number of rainy days in Rwanda has declined by between 35 and 45 days per year since 1971.

In August 2021, Rwanda Meteorology Agency warned that parts of Eastern and Southern provinces would likely face unusual dry spells similar to those that befell the country in 2016, 2010 and 1996.

The 2016 dry spell period was Rwanda’s longest drought in six decades and affected food security.

During that year, more than 47,300 households with over 230,000 people were affected by drought.

In order to reduce dependency on rain-fed agriculture, Government targets to irrigate 102,284 hectares by 2024 from the 63,000 hectares which are currently under irrigation in order to reduce over-relying on rainfall.