Senators warn farmers against shoddy middlemen

EASTERN PROVINCE RWAMAGANA — Senators on the Political and Good Governance Standing Committee have advised farmers in the Rwamagana District to market their farm produce through cooperatives, in order to avoid being cheated by middlemen. The lawmakers made the remarks last week while visiting Mwulire Sector to assess the progress of Public, Private Sector Partnership, under what is called the Joint Action Forum (JAF). Senator Joseph Karemera, the chairman of the committee, noted that sometimes unscrupulous middlemen make abnormal profits at the expense of farmers. “It is unfair to have people working hard but benefit nothing due to business persons involved,” he said. He advised farmers to always carry out market surveys on transport costs so as to take their products directly to the markets, in order to avoid being cheated. Karemera, explained that they visited the district in order to get first hand information from authorities on whether there is concrete partnership among JAF members, and find out their challenges and achievements. The Senator said that JAF advises people and motivates them to develop through savings and investment. Chalienne Nyirarukundo, the head of a Women’s cooperative in the sector, said that women in the area started by contributing Rwf5000 each, and now they have accumulated over Rwf1 million - from which members borrow to set up small income generating projects. Citing Singapore, the senators said Rwandans have to avoid dependence on aid and develop a saving culture, in order to get out of poverty. Ends