Budget will boost food production – Kalibata

The government has earmarked Rfw28.4b to increase access to clean water and improve land husbandry to boost productivity. This is the biggest budgetary allocation from the rural development programme thematic area that took Rwf164b or 10 per cent of the total 2013/2014 Budget. Other priority projects include the Kirehe watershed management project that was allocated Rwf10.1b. Crop intensification project was given Rfw9.2b and the rural sector support scheme Rfw7.8b. The National Strategic Food Reserve Project takes Rwf2.2b, water, sanitation and hygiene, Rwf4.6b, Lake Victoria Water Supply and Sanitation Project phase II, Rwf4.1b, establishment of livestock infrastructure was allocated Rwf4.1b and the national rural supply and sanitation programme Rwf5.5b. Dr Agnes Kalibata, the minister for agriculture, said the allocation will help farmers plant on time, get access to water as well as use fertilisers. She said this would increase the productivity by five times. “What we want is yield increment among the farmers. This will be achieved by working together with farmers. We realised that some farmers were not planting on time and this affected productivity,” she said. She said today, a hectare of maize produces 3 tonnes, noting that if the farmers collaborate with the ministry, the output would increase to 6 tonnes. Beans could hit 5 tonnes per hectare from 3.5 tonnes presently. The minister said crop yields were low because farmers do not use fertilisers. She, however, said her ministry would ensure all districts have designated fertiliser stockists. Ernest Ruzindaza, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, said they would focus on strengthening crop intensification project and improving livestock infrastructure, especially in Eastern Province. The ministry will also look to increase mechanisation.