Kamonyi, Nyagatare farmers count losses after heavy rain

After enduring a spell of drought, it was a sigh of relief for farmers in Kamonyi and Nyagatare districts when the skies opened up. However, the heavy rains were more than what was wanted leaving several farmers in the two districts counting losses. The floods came as farmers were still recovering from a long dry spell which left crops destroyed. In the Kavunja swamp, floods destroyed several hectares of maize plantations, and nearby houses. As a result, farmers say they will reap little if anything, this season. Sylvestre Mugema, the president of Cooperative des Agriculteurs de Legumes et des Fruit de Kavunja (COALFKA), said they don’t expect to harvest much as their maize plantation was affected by the floods. “You can understand our frustration only if you could know what’s in our hearts. Our hopes were in harvesting maize from this swamp since the crops on the hillsides had already shown poor signs because of a recent drought. But now the rain has also destroyed that,” Mugema told The New Times. Kavunja swamp covers 56 hectares and it is owned by cooperative members. The swamp is located between Nyamiyaga and Mugina sectors in Kamonyi, and 548 farmers use it. Of the 56 hectares of Kavunja swamp, 42 were totally destroyed. Last year, the cooperative harvested 80 tonnes of maize and was eyeing to harvest between 200 and 300 tonnes this year, after adopting improved farming techniques this season. Sylvestre Nyaminani, a farmer and member of the cooperative was expecting to earn Rwf 500,000 after investing Rwf 200,000 in maize farming this season, but is now not sure if he will get anything. “Farmers are wondering how they will manage to feed their families, send children to school and meet several other family demands. This is a huge loss beyond anyone’s imagination,” he said. Antoine Ukobukeye, another farmer said the effects will be felt beyond farmers’ homes. “It is a huge blow not only to us but also to residents from different parts of the country that depend on food from this swamp, and to the country in general because it was a source of taxes,” he said. The cooperative was targeting to earn Rwf30 million having made a deal to supply their produce to the World Food Programme (WFP) Rwanda. We were promised a good price, having been satisfied with our maize quality, but it seems the deal could be off due to the disappointing floods, said the cooperative leaders. The insurance concern Mugema regretted that they had failed to insure their crops against disasters like this adding that it will be a top priority in the days ahead. “Insurance will now be a top priority to avoid future losses. But we have to forget what happened and think of the way forward to boost our farming activities even though it could take time to forget the current situation,” he said. Reaction from local authorities Parfait Gasana, a Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) employee in Southern Province said they were yet to make an assessment. But Thadee Tuyizere, the Vice Mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Planning in Kamonyi District said they were trying to find ways to address the issue of people left homeless by the floods by getting them temporary shelter. “We are assessing the damage before we can appeal to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugees (MIDIMAR) for the needed support,” he said. The cooperative usually grows two major crops in Kavunja Swamp namely maize and onions. But, since the maize crops have been destroyed, officials say they are planning to work together with RAB to select an alternative crop to be grown by the affected farmers as they wait for the regular season for onion plantation in March 2017. Philippe Habinshuti, the Director of Disaster Response and Recovery Unit at MIDIMAR said the ministry’s response would depend on report from the district. Nyagatare residents left homeless Meanwhile farmers in Rwempasha Sector, Nyagatare District in Eastern Province are also still counting losses following this week’s heavy rains coupled with wind. The rains devastated over 300 hectares of crops and 64 houses. Authorities have not established the value of all destroyed property in the four most affected cells of Rugarama, Kazaza, Rwempasha and Byeru. The District mayor George Mupenzi said the affected families will soon get basic needs before the end of this week. “We are working with MIDMAR to rectify the situation. Most families need food and shelter in the first place,” he said. The mayor said most affected families have relatives or other houses where they have sought shelter before MIDMAR support comes in. At Rugarama Village in Rugarama Cell, the story of George Butare is also pitiable as three hectares of his banana, beans and maize plantations were completely destroyed by the rains. His two houses were also not spared. His family of ten with few neighbours, whose houses were also destroyed, live in his other house. “We have shelter though it leaks but we don’t have what to eat mostly. Everything was destroyed on the three hectares we had,” said Butare. Aloys Kabasha, 97, from Rugarama Village in Rugarama Cell whose house roof was blown off said he hid under furniture until the rain subsided. “When it started raining, I thought it was rain as usual but a few minutes the winds intensified and my roof was taken off the house. I hid under a table because I couldn’t afford running to neighbours,” said Kabasha. This is the second time Nyagatare District has experienced such devastating rains since it began raining in late September this year. Previously in Rwimiyaga Sector, many houses were destroyed and people were hosted in school classrooms for a few days until MIDMAR intervened with relief items to affected households. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Kamonyi, Nyagatare farmers count losses after heavy rain