Sharing water in Rwanda’s breadbasket

Published 2020년 8월 28일

Tridge summary

The article highlights the ongoing challenges faced by farmers in Rwanda's Nyagatare district, a key agricultural region, due to water scarcity exacerbated by a dam construction project. This issue led to conflicts among farmers and livestock owners over water usage. The introduction of the Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS) project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Agrinatura, aimed to foster dialogue and innovative solutions. The project's success in resolving water-sharing conflicts and enhancing productivity was marked by significant increases in rice yield and improvements in farmers' business skills and market access. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted farmers by reducing income and disrupting market connections, leading to challenges in recovering from losses and reinvesting in farming activities. The FAO is now focusing on assessing water efficiency and developing strategies to support farmers in overcoming these setbacks.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

The Nyagatare district (Eastern Province) is Rwanda’s breadbasket – a vast area of agricultural land providing food for the entire country. The people of this district are mainly farmers, rearing livestock and cultivating crops such as maize and rice, but they suffer a long dry season stretching from June to mid-September and, consequently, water has always been a vital, much sought-after resource – with competition for it high. In 2015, the Rwandan government, together with financial support from the World Bank, constructed a USD 10 million dam and water reservoir. Before long, however, farmers cultivating the upper hillside would cut off at least an eighth of the rainwater that flowed into the catchment below, leaving farmers and cattle keepers downhill struggling. Conflicts arose and a solution to the problem was needed. Resolving conflicts The Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS) project was launched to help individuals, organizations and national ...

Source: KEkilimonews