Rwandan farmers steadily realizing their dreams

When we talk of farmers’ dreams becoming true, one question comes into my mind. Do Rwandese really grasp this underlying principle? Undeniably farmers’ dreams have become true with some their incomes increasing tenfold. This transformation is built on principles of being visionary, exemplary and with good leadership.As said by Mahatma Gandhi “be the change that you wish to see in the world” due to the leadership style that has and is working towards empowering them to envision and direct their own destiny their dreams have become a reality. It would not have been easy save for the increased campaign to fight soil erosion, increasing agricultural production and productivity, improving population incomes through high labour intensity works and agricultural intensification. Imagine situations and times when Rwanda was considered to be a poverty stricken country. It is amazing to find out today that all this has become history. The journey towards revitalizing the rural economy, thereby increasing rural incomes, reducing poverty and achieving food security in Rwanda was hard earned but worth the price and efforts put in. It had its own upheavals, of course as a country that was trying to put behind the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi so as to build a post Genocide nation on a strong foundation and principles of equality, justice for all, good governance and sustainable development, among other things, this took some time and came with a price. Rwandans over the last 18 years have undergone through a lot of alteration, this is unmistakable in all sectors; agriculture, health, banking, housing, security, name it.The agricultural sector distinctively has undergone a lot of transformation mainly shifting its trend of traditional subsistence farming methods to commercial market oriented approach. We have seen the creation of various boards as one way of accelerating and fostering this transformation. According to Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel from his famous quote “don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened”, if I can tie this to the recent and ongoing agricultural revolution in Rwanda, it is time to reflect on what has been achieved as we build a bright future. For those who never had the chance to meet farmers in the countryside in their different zones and cooperatives you cannot believe their testimonies, but for the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, which was honoured with this year’s Yara Award for achieving food security, their testimonies speak volumes.I have no doubt that this much celebrated transformation of the agricultural sector is evident in areas of production of rice in marshlands rehabilitated or developed areas under Rural Sector Support Project (RSSP), both phase 1 and 2, hillside protection, terraces, strong cooperative formation, collective selling and increased storage facilities. As a result of capacity building and mobilization, farmers developed a culture of saving and this has led to the transformation of their livelihood. They can now take their children to school, cater for their medical insurances and afford a decent life with access to the primary needs. The author is LWH/RSSP Communication Officer