GATSIBO-Rice farmers in Rugarama Sector, Gatsibo District say they have registered an increase in income since they started growing the grain.

Claude Habimana, a rice grower in Matunguru cell, disclosed that his income has more than doubled.

"I used to engage in banana farming and earned an annual income of Rwf200, 000. But since I started growing rice six months ago, I have earned profits worth Rwf500, 000,” he said.

Habimana added that more farmers are likely to abandon other crops to engage in rice farming.

 "We had rejected the district’s advice to grow rice several times. We could not compare its production with other crops like banana and beans. But now that I have earned a lot from it,” he added.

The district vice mayor in charge of finance and economic planning, Isaie
Habarurema, said the district had embarked on a campaign to mobilise more residents in the neighbouring Ntende valley to practise rice farming.

"It is quite hard in the beginning but we thank those residents who responded to our call and have registered bumper harvests,” the vice mayor said.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Rural Sector Support Project(RSSP) cleared 560 hectares of the Ntende Valley for rice farming.

Rice farming employs over 170 families grouped under the COPRORIZ Ndende Cooperative in the district.

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