Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva has urged farmers to maintain irrigation infrastructure, warning that neglecting facilities designed to boost crop yields could reverse gains in agricultural productivity.
Nsengiyumva made the remarks on Saturday, October 10, while meeting farmers in Nyarububa wetland in Rulindo District during activities marking the 2027A agricultural season.
He expressed concern over reports that an irrigation system established through a Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB) project in the wetland was no longer functioning, urging farmers to work with relevant authorities to keep the infrastructure operational.
“You told us that this wetland was developed by an RSSB project that provided you with irrigation facilities. But you also said the system was no longer working. How did it fall into disrepair?” he asked.
The Prime Minister said building agricultural infrastructure was not enough unless it was properly maintained and used to improve production.
He cited yields of two tonnes and six tonnes per hectare to illustrate the potential consequences of losing access to effective irrigation.
“If such infrastructure is provided, we must all make an effort to ensure it does not fail. When it fails, we return to where we started, producing two tonnes per hectare when we had reached six,” he said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Animal Resources Minister Telesphore Ndabamenye joined farmers in Bugarama Sector, Rusizi District, for activities marking the same farming season.
Ndabamenye urged farmers to increase production from existing farmland rather than focus on expanding cultivated areas, citing population growth and declining land availability.
He said agriculture should provide sufficient food for households while generating income and producing surplus crops for the market.
“We must farm upwards rather than continue expanding horizontally,” he said, calling for greater productivity from available land.
Rwanda expects to cultivate approximately 765,000 hectares during the 2027A season, according to figures reported by local media citing the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).
The season is a major planting period for crops including maize, beans and potatoes. The government is also promoting conservation agriculture to improve soil management and help farmers cope with changing weather conditions.
