Rulindo (Muyanza site) is one of the Sustainable Agriculture Intensification and Food security Project (SAIP) intervention sites across Rwanda. SAIP’s main development objective is to increase agricultural productivity, market access, and food security of the targeted beneficiaries in the project intervention areas across the country.
The site is located in Rulindo District, Northern Province. It’s one hour drive from Kigali city. Out of the total area treated with comprehensive land husbandry technologies, 988Ha are subjected to rain fed agriculture, 1,100Ha gross area in the command area was developed for hillside irrigation.
Water retaining dam has been constructed in the Project site in Rulindo to provide farmers with reliable and sufficient water for irrigation throughout the year
Command area treated with comprehensive land husbandry technologies.
Farmers participating in the season launch in the command area. Water availability has enabled farmers to focus more on higher export-value crops.
In the site, there are 12,071 Farmers’ households (6,538 males & 5,533 females). Farmers have been organized into 478 Self Help Groups (SHGs) spread across 33 zones. SHGs have since formed 6 strong cooperatives and 1 Water Users Association (WUA).
Farmers in a Self Help Group (SHG) meeting. Belonging to a SHG has the potential to empower members through the provision of knowledge, skills, motivation, and competencies that underpin sustainable agriculture.
WAUs are responsible for water management techniques including, rehabilitation of irrigation network canals, supervision of water distribution, pricing and water rights systems in order to conserve water and achieve higher water efficiency productivity among beneficiaries (farmers).
Post harvest storage facilities have been constructed to reduce the incidence of post-harvest losses
Farmers have become more commercial and profitable by producing crops that are demanded by local, regional and international markets.
The project has equipped farmers with 2 post harvest storage facilities, 3 dryers and 5 horticultural produce collection centres with a cold room.
Post harvest facilities have helped farmers to improve food production and reduce post-harvest losses.