NORTHERN PROVINCE GAKENKE — The involvement of residents in income generating projects has started to bear fruits in Gakenke district, local leaders say. While presenting the current socio-economic status of Minazi sector unit, one of the poor sectors under the model VUP-sector (Vision 2020 Umurenge), the Mayor, Pierre Damien Hakizayezu said that residents have embarked on many projects aimed at increasing household incomes. He highlighted terracing, land consolidation, growing maize on a large scale, settling in villages (Midugudu), rearing rabbits, pigs and chicken as some of the development projects. Following local leaders’ mobilisation for intensive cultivation, the farmers’ produced the best quality coffee in Rwanda last year which was also ranked one of the best quality coffees on the world market. In another VUP Sector known as Gashaki within Musanze district, the area residents in each village grow a specific crop on a large scale. Each family has a vegetable garden, use improved seeds and fertilisers and have started saving schemes. Local banks have opened branches in all the VUP sector units in order to facilitate the residents’ saving. Speaking during a recent visit in Gakenke, the minister of Local Government, Protais Musoni urged residents to work hard in order to improve on their incomes. Ends
