EASTERN PROVINCE

GATSIBO — Kanyonyomba rice project that operates from the newly-reclaimed Kanyonyoba swamp now employs about 3730 farmers.

John Damascene Gakwerere, the president of Kanyonyomba rice cooperative CORIMAK said the swamp is shared by five sectors of Gatsibo district including Murambi, Kiziguro, Kiramuruzi, Remaira, and Rugarama.

Gakwerere said this while touring the rice fields with the vice Mayor in charge of finance and economic development, Bossa Rwemalika and other sector agronomists on Monday.

"This rice project is big and though this is its second planting season, it is being tilled by 3730 families from the five sectors in the district. We hope it will change their livelihood tremendously," Gakwerere said.

Residents were reluctant to adopt rice farming being a new activity to them. Matters were not helped when they returned poor harvests in the first season due to poor timing rice pest which attacked the crop.

"This season has actually attracted new farmers because those who previously took part were discouraged about the harvest last season. But its only because it is a new practice, they will embrace it after they realize how beneficial rice growing is," Gakwerere explained.

The vice Mayor Rwemalika during the tour, called upon the residents to avoid farm activities within a radius of 10 meters from the swamp in order to protect the water tunnels.

These tunnels should be cleared of grass and should also be kept clean at all times; by so doing, he said, water will flow easily to the rice pads in the swamp.

He asked cell leaders to cut eucalyptus tree within a radius of 50 meters of the swamp because they have long roots that suck a lot of water making them a danger to the swamp.

This season, 80% of Kanyonyomba swamp covering over 417 hectares has already been tilled and the rice pads look promising. The remaining 20% f the swamp will be covered by the end of this week and harvesting is expected by the end of the month.

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