Burundian officials arrive on study tour

NYAMAGABE-Officials from Burundi are visiting the districts of Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe in the Southern Province, with an aim of learning from Rwanda’s decentralization policy and environment protection drive.The delegation comprised permanent secretaries in the ministries of Local Government, and Environment and Governors of Bujumbura Rural, Kayanza and Mwaro provinces.On Wednesday and Thursday, the officials toured various projects in the two districts, including terracing projects, land consolidation and the “one village, one product” project and a coffee intensification project in Gasaka Sector, Nyamagabe District. They also visited a honey processing factory, reforestation and tree planting projects in Nyungwe National Park.Speaking after the tour, the Burundian Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Severain Mbarubukeye, noted that the tour helped them acquire valuable experience on what they can introduce in their country.He observed that various programmes they toured, like the land consolidation programme, can help improve the lives of Burundians.“We have put many efforts in sensitising residents to form cooperatives but we have not yet introduced the land consolidation. It is a new thing we have learnt, which I think can help our country develop,” Mbarubukeye said.The land consolidation programme seeks to bring together fragmented plots of land and encourage cultivation of particular crops on the consolidated land in the spirit of maintaining food security.The Mayor of Nyamagabe, Philbert Mugisha, noted the tour was also an occasion for them to share experiences and best practices with the Burundian officials so as to speed up the development of local residents.“When we get visitors, we share ideas and experiences. This is helpful in improving the quality of the work we are doing,” Mugisha said.