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There was a mental breakdown in Rwanda where farmers cultivated from September to June and there was no escape in the spring because the farmers were resting during the dry season.
Only as people grew older did they discover different ways in which they could cultivate the land and earn a living, even in the spring.
In this regard, vegetable and fruit farmers in Rubawu District said that only by knowing how to use fertilizers can fruits and vegetables grow healthily in the spring.
Byukusenge Zainabo, who cultivates half a hectare of land in Nyakiriba district, said the use of fertilizers has increased production.
“Before, I cultivated in the rainy season and left the land fallow in the dry season because we did not have access to water for irrigation, but now the Kilimo Trust helps us use the land in the dry season to cope with the seasonal changes and now I am clearing water and onions for planting in the sixth month, thanks to the knowledge I have gained,” he said.
Farmers said they were taught how to make compost, which they put on their fields in the summer, which helps their crops withstand the sun.
He said: “This method allows us to use organic fertilizers, which allows our fields to withstand the sun. This fertilizer retains moisture in the soil when we pray to God and it rains. Another thing is that we have reduced the amount of industrial fertilizers we use, which causes our fields to become less fertile.”
Farmers in the Rubavu region say volcanic soils need fertilizers and using too much industrial fertilizers harms farms. “Besides improving soil quality, fertilizer use can also increase yields.”
Head of the vegetable growing cooperative, Habumuisha Jean d’Amour, said they have a good farming system that saves time and reduces losses of perishable produce due to lack of markets.
Vegetable crops including; potatoes, onions, garlic and carrots are now produced in fields in Nyakiriba district, while residents say they should stop farming because of the sun.
The Rubavu area has volcanic soil, a land without rivers, so they can irrigate, but using compost also helps them cope with the summer sun.
Andrew Gashayija, director of Rwanda’s Kilimo Trust, said they are helping 2,600 farmers take care of the land and protect the environment by increasing yields.
“We are rewarding farmers who excel in land conservation and receive products that help Rwandans fight malnutrition and protect the land,” he said.
He continued, “The agriculture we teach farmers today is one that protects the environment, copes with climate change, and allows farmers to get enough yields. In this way, the land can be used well for current and future farmers.”
In Rubavu district, more than 2,600 farmers have been helped to implement soil and water conservation farming practices, with those who do well being recognized, including composting and storing agricultural products that can be preserved for a long time.
Bushaija said another 60 farmers have received farming tools worth $30 million.
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