SOUTHERN PROVINCE

NYANZA— Farmers in villages with ‘Agasozi Indatwa’ will no longer worry about losing fertile soils to erosion. Agasozi Indatwa are exemplary terraced hills.

The Rapid Results Institute project in Rwanda, has committed itself to end the problem of soil erosion in those villages during its pilot study.

The revelation comes days after the Minister of Agriculture, Christophe Bazivamo said the country loses about 15m tonnes of top soil to erosion annually.  And it affects feeding needs for about 40,000 people annually.

Speaking to local leaders from the province last week, Hirut M’cLeod, the Institute’s management consultant, said they employ cutting edge management tools that have been used in leading organisations around the world to foster results-oriented experimentation, achievement, and learning.

She explained that solutions to challenges faced by communities like soil erosion do not require master blueprints and grandiose plans but rather local innovation and experimentation to provide durable solutions to economic and social challenges.

"The main problem local leaders are faced with is the need to have a mindset change. First it has to begin with the leaders then the people they lead,” said M’cLeod.

The Rapid Results Institute will help villages implementing the Agasozi Indatwa initiative in achieving their targets faster.

According to Minister, Bazivamo, it is envisaged that the Agasozi Indatwa initiative will be implemented in a period of 90-120 days expected to increase access to vegetables.

On this hill, residents are expected to construct terraces or canals to fight soil erosion and plant trees. Residents of the Village are also expected to be a model to the rest by practicing modern agriculture and livestock keeping with assistance from agricultural extension staff.

The Rapid Results Institute is also working with other government Ministries to achieve quick results in other programmes.

It is working with the Ministry of Health to increase the number of assisted deliveries in Gasabo from an average of five per week to eight per week by next month.

In the Ministry of Education, the Institute will ensure that by January 1 2009, 100 percent of sixth grade students in Gasabo district join seventh grade as part of kick-starting the nine-year Basic Education policy.

The Rapid Results Institute would also help the National University of Rwanda to reduce the cost of water and electricity per person in April-July by 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

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