Persistent drought worries residents

KIREHE - Residents of Nyarubuye Sector have expressed concern over the persistent dry spell even when different parts of the country have started to receive heavy rains. The Nyarubuye Sector, Executive Secretary, Vestine Muhawenimana, said the drought has affected farming in the area. “It is a sad reality that it rains in nearby areas but not in Nyarubuye…we had planned to plant maize on a large scale, but we are not sure if we are still going to succeed. This is the problem of depending on rains,” she said. According to authorities, the sector had planned to use the newly acquired tractors to embark on an extensive maize growing exercise but the tractors are now lying idle. “Our goals are now hanging on the balance. We wanted to develop huge maize fields in this sector,” the sector leader added. Due to prolonged drought, residents depend on bananas as a form of staple food. “If it was not for the bananas we would have died of hunger. But not a single person leaves the sector in search of food. We don’t have a variety of foodstuffs but we can survive the drought,” Claude Habimana, 63, said. Local leaders say the dry spell has also exacerbated water scarcity as residents have to walk over 6 kilometers in search of water. However, the district’s Director of Economic Planning, Jean Marie Viane Dusengimana, said maize will be planted on large scale as earlier planned. “This is an area that receives mild rainfall, but remains productive. We shall thus continue with the planned maize growing activity, as per the land consolidation programme,” he said. On water scarcity, Dusengimana revealed that the government is working with a Japanese company to extend water nearer to residents of Nyarubuye sector. Ends