EASTERN PROVINCE

GATSIBO — The new rice-growing method that was applied by rice farmers in the last season has enhanced rice production, farmers say.

The new approach requiring regulating water levels and enough spacing of rice plants was first adopted by farmers of Ntende Rice farmers’ Cooperative in Rugarama.

During the members’ meeting that was held at their headquarters in Rugarama last week, the manager of the cooperative Sinzamuhara. J.De Dieu revealed that their yields have more than doubled due to the new method.

"We have more than doubled our production and the quality of rice is much better than that of last season. This is all because of the new system that we adopted,” Sinzamuhara said.

"Before we were producing four tones per hectare, but now we have produced 8.5 tones per hectare making the total of 1,530 tons this season” added Sinzamuhara. The new method has been adopted by most rice farmers.

Sinzamuhara also said that many of the local rice farmers are benefiting from the cooperative and others are joining after seeing the benefits.

"Farmers can now access loans to send their children to school and later pay back after the harvest,” Sinzamuhra said. Also many local farmers have acquired mobile phones through the cooperative for easy communication.

The cooperative that was initially growing rice, later planted and harvested 76 tones of maize last season, and also intend to start growing soya beans in areas with little water in Ntende swamp.

"Right now, we are having a water problem and we hope that after RSSP reclaims the land, we shall have more space for growing rice.

The cooperative has plans of building a rice factory through a loan from BRD; to meet the projected increase in production after the remaining hectares are reclaimed next year.

Apart from increasing production of rice in Gatsibo, people in the rural areas have acquired knowledge and skills in marketing of their produce through seminars sponsored by the farmers’ cooperative.

Ends