A group of banana farmers selected from the country’s 19 districts on Tuesday visited model banana plantation farms in the Nyinya Sector, Ngoma district. The study tour, aimed at equipping the farmers with modern farming methods to enhance quality harvest was organised by the Rwanda Development Agency (RADA). At least two farmers were selected from each of the districts which are considered the leading producers of bananas. According to RADA officials, the tour was in line with the government policy of modernising agriculture in order to ensure food security and increase farmers’ incomes. “We brought different quality banana breeds from Uganda and other countries to help improve farmers’ produce,” said RADA’s field coordinator Aimee Gasana. He explained that RADA expects the trained farmers to adopt mechanisms used on the model farms they visited and train other members of their communities within a period of one year. “Normally farmers focus on quantity not quality bananas……,” observed Telesphore Nyakarundi, a trainer and head of the Ubumwe Co-operative. He pointed out that farmers have the tendency of concentrating on banana types which are used to produce local brew ignoring special species that could return better yields. The improved banana plants, Nyakarundi said, can produce a bunch that weighs about 140 kilograms worth Rwf7500 unlike the ordinary plants which would earn them only a jerry can of local brew- which goes for only Rwf3,000. During the tour, the farmers inspected various model banana plantations - during which they were briefed about the basic practices to ensure good banana yields. “You should never plant other crops in the plantations, as it will make the banana plants compete for water and subsequently affect their production,” Nyakarundi warned them. He advised the farmers to practice mulching in order to preserve the soil, use fertilisers to increase production and ensure proper spacing during planting. “Strictly there has to be a distance of three meters from one plant to another,” Gasana said. Talking to The New Times after the tour, most of the farmers said they would use the acquired knowledge to make changes in their communities. “I will avoid tilling my banana plantation, I will instead carry out mulching and teach others to do so,” said Javier Bapfakwita from Rutsiro district. Tilling is said to be dangerous in banana plantations because it damages the roots. Other techniques the farmers said would adopt include planting of good quality banana trees, pruning and mulching. Ends
