Why farmers should adopt land consolidation

Surviving on a small plot of land, Sarah Muhoza, 35, could never imagine at one time food shortage in the family would come to an end not even for a season. Married to Emma Mutabazi, they are residents of Kanombe sector in Kicukiro District. “It has not been easy for the time I have been in marriage to use this piece of land to provide for the family. Despite the effort of engaging in some small businesses in our trading centre, it never worked out,” Muhoza narrated. “Although what we used to harvest was not even enough for the family, we had to sell some in order to acquire commodities like sugar, soap, clothes and even go for medical care until when our harvest would be finished.” However, with the land consolidation strategy, the mother of two says things have changed for the better adding that the family is not only stable with food but has also realized positive changes economically. Under the land consolidation programme, government encourages rural farmers to grow a single crop on extensive land holdings to boost local food production unlike in the previous cases where land holdings were fragmented. “We came together as residents and utilized our land collectively which has indeed helped many families in the villages to overcome the food shortage problem,” Muhoza said with a smile on her face. According to her, the programme has not only helped to increase on food security in homes but has also empowered families economically. “As a group, upon harvest we sit and discuss on the way forward. This includes making decisions on what to be put on market and how much to be put in stock for both planning for the next season and for our families,” she said. Speaking to Donatien Murenzi , the Executive Secretary of Kanombe Sector where residents have adopted and maintained the land consolidation programme, residents have realized the benefit and they themselves encourage others. “Although there might be some people who may be lagging behind, at least the majority in the villages has embraced and are benefiting from land consolidation. Residents have effectively adopted and some have already regretted their delay in joining others,” Murenzi said. “Last season, a group of only 50 residents who came up with 30 hectares of land managed to harvest 107 tonnes of maize.” According to him, these residents have so far sold 60 tonnes only and have earned Rwf 12m. And they are planning for the remaining 47 tonnes. The official also revealed that the group has since then grown in number and has managed to put together 100 tonnes. “This time round, residents have planted Soya beans and we expect to harvest between 300 and 350 tonnes from 100 hectares,” he said. Kicukiro District Mayor, Paul Jules Ndamage, said that among other duties and responsibilities, local leaders are charged with the responsibility of directing residents to ensure they benefit from the programme. “We sensitize, mobilize and advise residents on the best practices that will enable them to earn big from the land consolidation programme,” Ndamage said. “We are also in charge of putting in place favourable factors to improve on soil fertility which includes giving out fertilizers.” “It is also our mandate to make sure that these farmers have enough seeds for planting as well linking them to potential buyers upon harvest as this prevents cheating by some private buyers who may utilize the mass harvest to lower prices of certain products,” he added. The Director General of Rwanda Agriculture Development Authority (RADA), Norbert Sendege, recently told The New Times, that the country is ready to produce agricultural products for foreign markets, based on ongoing agricultural revolutions which also includes Crop Intensification program (CIP), Land Consolidation, among others. “Just a few years back we were facing production shortage; we had cases of families lacking food but today we have a challenge of finding markets,” Sendege is quoted to have said. “We have surpassed the target of food security and are now targeting exportation of agricultural products.” Ends