Rwandan farmers ask for help as drought bites

A stalled irrigation project in Eastern Rwanda. PHOTO | FILE 

By Johnson Kanamugire

In Summary

• Area residents decried a lack of dams and boreholes in addition to a few stalled irrigation schemes due to machinery breakdown and unreliable electric power.
• The concerns were brought to the attention of President Paul Kagame who, last week Monday, toured Nyagatare, one of the districts in Eastern Province hit hard by last year’s prolonged drought.
• More than 50,000 hunger-stricken households have been put on government-funded food aid.

Following months of prolonged drought in the country’s Eastern province, residents are seeking
government assistance to accelerate expansion of water schemes to cushion crop and livestock farms from recurrent climate shocks.

Area residents decried a lack of dams and boreholes in addition to a few stalled irrigation schemes due to machinery breakdown and unreliable electric power.

“A number of us farmers in Matimba relied on these machines for irrigation, but they broke down and they have not been repaired. Another problem is electricity, when there is no power we can’t irrigate,” said James Butera, a local farmer.

The concerns were brought to the attention of President Paul Kagame who, last week Monday, toured Nyagatare, one of the districts in Eastern Province hit hard by last year’s prolonged drought.

As a result of last year’s drought —considered the worst in Rwanda in six decades — there was massive crop failure and livestock deaths, forcing residents to flee their homes to neighbouring countries in search of food.

Area residents told Rwanda Today that the majority of families are yet to recover from the effects of the drought even after early harvest after it rained towards the end of last year.

Families located in areas that do not have access to the few available irrigation schemes or livestock water schemes are worried about next season.

The drought-affected districts in Eastern Province are Rwamagana, Bugesera, Kayonza and Kirehe. Here, more than 80 per cent of the populations depend on crop and livestock farming, which is still largely rain-fed.

It is estimated that about 24,000 hectares of crops were wiped out by the prolonged drought, which lasted between September 2015 to August last year.

In Nyagatare District alone, lack of forage and water led to the loss of more than 2,000 cows. The effects of the historic drought have also triggered a rise in food prices.

More than 50,000 hunger-stricken households have been put on government-funded food aid.

The Agriculture and Animal Resource Ministry said the food aid is still ongoing, but it is now limited to a few vulnerable households.

“There is a need to expand irrigation and agro-forestry to mitigate the effects of drought. We need an additional number of valley dams and boreholes to reach more farmers,” said George Mupenzi, the Mayor of Nyagatare District.

It is estimated that the size of irrigated land in Eastern Province stands at 30,000 hectares.

Similarly, a number of schemes like the Rwf1.2 billion irrigation dam project in Kirehe district, failed due to alleged corruption and embezzlement of funds, according to the 2014/15 Ombudsman’s report.

During his tour, President Kagame warned those officials who take part in enriching themselves with funds meant to improve residents’ welfare. He said a lot remained to be done with regard to alleviating poverty and other issues in the area.

“We need to increase our efforts and the district will work closely with the relevant ministry to get it done,” President Kagame said.