EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA — Sector and district leaders on Tuesday started one-week training on land use and management organized by Rwanda Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

The training to be conducted in phases in the Province targeted district and sector agricultural officers.

The first phase on targeted all Sector executive secretaries across the province but only a third turned up. During the training, the sector leaders were asked to be influential in ensuring proper land use. The Eastern Province is made up of 94 sectors distributed in seven districts.

The second phase would bring together all agricultural officials at sector level and a person in charge of environment from each of the seven districts.

Opening the training, Charles Gasana, the provincial executive secretary noted that proper land use and management, without destroying the environment is among top government

Patrice Hakizimana, the Director General of RADA emphasized the need for proper land use and management. He called on residents of Rwanda to embrace the making of terraces in order to control soil erosion.

Venuste Ruhigana, coordinator of the training observed that land laws have continued to be violated because the respective punitive measures have never been implemented. Reading article 1 of the Rwandan law No: 11/82, He said: "Farmers must use land properly and protect it from anything that might spoil it like soil erosion." He explained that it is prohibited to burn forests and or carry out any other activity that may lead to land degradation.

He noted that the law regulating land use in the country which stipulates two months imprisonment or a fine of Frw2000 for poor land users is outdated. However, he explained that a new punitive law is under promulgation, and the punishment has been modified to three months and or a fine of Frw50,000.

During the one week sensitization, participants would learn the importance of other ecosystems including use of modern mining methods, and use of mobile toilets among others.

The training was co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture.

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