NORTHERN PROVINCE MUSANZE — Farmers in the Northern Province have been asked to increase on their farm output by turning subsistence agriculture into large scale production. This was the message delivered by the Rural Sector Support Project-RSSP to farmers engaged in Irish potatoes, wheat and maize growing, during the launch of the second phase of RSSP agricultural intensification programme in Musanze last the week. The farmers are grouped in several farmers’ cooperatives. According to Esteli Kibiriti, the head of Technical department in RSSP, the highlights of the second phase include helping cooperatives to make business plans, use of improved seeds, fighting plant diseases and training on project proposals. Kibiriti asked farmers to add value to their products by applying fertilisers and specialising in specific crops. Farmers who attended a two-day seminar that preceded the launching ceremony raised concerns over the scarcity of improved seeds and fertilisers. RSSP committed to offering training to farmers on how to fight soil erosion, soil types, and types of crops suitable for particular areas. Ends
