KIGALI - The Ministry of Agriculture, will, through the Irrigation and Mechanization Taskforce, directly get involved in planning, conducting studies, managing and implementing an irrigation plan.

This is part of the new approach towards promotion of irrigation to realize better yields among farmers.

Jacques Mbonigaba Muhinda, the Chairman of the taskforce, said that unlike before, direct involvement at all stages will speed up the exercise.

"What we have been doing is that after planning and conducting all the studies, we leave private firms to implement,” Muhinda said.

 He added "We have now set up a complete team with necessary skills and this will enable us to tackle every stage.”

This year, the government plans to have at least 100,000 hectares under irrigation by 2017.

He said that the taskforce is also conducting studies to formulate a number of projects ready for funding; explaining that it has been time consuming waiting for funds before conducting studies and wait for approval before such projects can be implemented.

Ends