SOUTHERN PROVINCE MUHANGA — The newly elected committee of Muhanga Nutritional and Agriculture Development Programme (PANDAMU) has committed itself to enhance food production in Muhanga District. The committee was elected on March 22 and is expected to boost agricultural development activities within the next three-year action plan. The PANDAMU project is sponsored by Broederlyk Delen, a Belgian founded NGO. It works through 100 associations with over 4,000 members within Kabacuzi, Muhanga, Rugendabari and Mushishiro sector units. At the inauguration ceremony of the new committee in the Mushishiro Sector on Sunday, Eustache Habimana, the committee chairman, said they would focus at boosting agro-livestock production and environmental protection in the area. Habimana called for cooperation; collaboration and increased donor support, saying this would help families set up income generating projects in order to ensure improved nutrition and livelihoods. The outgoing committee lauded donors for past support which they said had helped members acquire skills to construct terraces in farmlands, improve agricultural production, environmental protection and education for vulnerable families. Innocent Telimbere, the PANDAMU project coordinator, called for increased capacity building sessions and access to ICT facilities for members. He also called for transformation of agro products through value addition, in order to fetch higher prices. Telimbere, revealed that PANDAMU has established a new programme-Veterinary Health Insurance- aimed at reducing costs of treating livestock-where residents pay between Rwf500 and Rwf2000 annually. Pandamu also empowers agro-livestock farmers and vulnerable persons through collective social participation. Ends
