In a bid to boost productivity of the country’s agricultural sector, Rwanda Soil Information Service (RwaSIS) has launched a survey on soil fertility in the country which will inform the type or quantity of fertilizer or lime to be applied in a particular field.

The project, which will cost Rwf1.9 billion, is funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and will specifically tackle six selected crops in 27 districts across the country.

The project will be carried out in collaboration with Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).

The six selected crops are maize, beans, wheat, cassava, rice, and Irish potatoes, according to officials.

Available data indicates that due to soil erosion and other related disasters, approximately 50% of Rwanda soils are acidic and infertile which requires an appropriate rate of fertilizers and other inputs.

According to Dr. Jules Rutebuka, the project coordinator, this project will give a significant boost to the PST 4, the country’s strategic plan for agriculture transformation.

It will largely address the productivity gaps by developing site and crop-specific recommendations in order to assist farmers benefit in the efficient use of agricultural inputs while enhancing sustainable land management, he said.

During the research trials, the pilot districts visited included Nyagatare and Gatsibo from Eastern Province; Muhanga, Huye, Nyaruguru, and Gisagara from Southern Province, for the six priority crops.

He said that the project will also significantly boost the country’s effort to alleviate poverty in household and ensure food security since farmers will be able to apply the appropriate inputs in the right quantities for maximum harvest.

"This project was designed based on people’s demands including investors and ordinary farmers because they will identify and understand the exact rates of inputs to be applied in their lands at any specific area. The project is investing national wide soil fertility mapping which is a baseline on fertilizer/lime requirements,” Rutebuka added.

In an interview John Kayumba, a researcher with RAB currently working with the RwaSIS project stated that under the currently, there is a ‘blanket’ fertilizer application yet the soils are from different agro-ecological zones which affects the harvest.

"These fertilizer recommendations will be based on soil types fertility status, and crop response to come up with different fertilizer/lime formulas for each crop.  For example, like we saw in Nyagatare District (during the pilot) we found out that addition of potassium can increase the growth parameter to a plant height, vigour, and leaf colour, and those parameters are strongly correlated with crop yield,” he said.

He added that with the right inputs and in appropriate quantities, a farmer may even be able to estimate the yield to expect from a particular farm, which may also help in terms of planning.

Emmanuel Nsanzimana, a resident of Rukomo Sector who has a 40-hactare rice plantation in Cyabayaga Marshland in Nyagatare District told The New Times that courtesy of the research, they have now changed the type of fertilizers they were applying in their plantations.

"I am very optimistic for good harvest because the inputs we applied this season were informed by research. My expectation is to almost double the harvest. For example, before we were harvesting five tonnes on every hectare but now I expect over right tonnes,” he said.

Mindset change 

Innocent Kimonyo, the Executive Secretary of Kansi Sector in Gisagara District, said at least 90 per cent of population in in his area who were previously resistant to the use of inputs have now changed their mindset.

He attributed this to RAB working with RwaSIS who have taken their time to explain to farmers on the importance of using appropriate inputs in farming for maximum output.

This was also echoed by Dative Nyiransanzimana, one of the residents in the sector. 

"We were educated that unless we embrace the use of fertilisers, we shall not graduate from poverty and ensure our families are food secure. Previously, we would flee our homes to neighbouring countries because of hunger and return during harvest time,” Nyiranzeyimana said.

RwaSIS project was officially launched in 2020 to run for a period of 30 months.