Rwanda, Increasing Capacity of Smallholder farmers in Rulindo

Country: Rwanda
Project details
Services:
Capacity building
Climate-smart agriculture
Crops:
Cereals
Fruits and vegetables
Legumes

Increasing Capacity of Smallholder farmers in Rulindo to supply fresh agricultural products to markets Rulindo and in Kigali, 2021-2022 

Donor:

FAO

Goal

The aim of the project is to contribute to the improvement of livelihoods in small cities and towns through sustainable food production, off-farm value-adding operations and services, and well-targeted market linkages. This project is located in the Cyonyonyo and Gacuragiza marshlands in Rulindo. 

What we do

  1. Organize Gacuragiza and Cyononyo farmers into cooperatives
  2. Conduct needs assessment as basis for capacity building and revitalization of farmers groups
  3. Organize water users of Cyonyonyo and Gacuragiza schemes into Integrated Water Users Associations
  4. Train Cooperative leaders on Planning and budgeting, Good governance, Financial management, Gender and cost of production estimation
  5. Train farmers on Good agricultural practices (ToT)
  6. Conduct a training workshop on local water management options, including water harvesting and soil conservation (water users).
  7. Organize study visits for farmers cooperative on Integrated Water Use
  8. Conduct training on governance, financial management and conflicts resolution to Irrigation Water Users' Association

Accomplishments

  1. EUCORD organized Gacuragiza and Cyonyonyo farmers into cooperatives. This contributes to the FAO organization objective of strengthening food systems in order to make them more sustainable and inclusive along the rural-urban continuum.
  2. A Capacity Needs Assessment was conducted in Gacuragiza and Cyonyonyo as an important step in the capacity development of smallholder farmers supplying fresh agricultural products to markets in Rulindo and Kigali. Training activities have since been carried out in the local community in order to help the development process.
  3. 71 Cooperative leaders trained on planning and budgeting, good governance, financial management, gender and cost of production estimation
  4. 76 farmers, including 31 women (41%), trained on good agricultural practices for cereals, pulses, legumes, roots, tubers, and vegetables
  5. Water users of Gacuragiza and Cyonyonyo organized into 2 autonomous Integrated Water Users Associations
  6. Trainings workshop organized for Integrated Water Users Associations on local water management options, including water harvesting, and hillside and marshland soil conservation.
  7. Study visits organized for newly established farmers cooperatives on Integrated Water Use
  8. Trainings of farmers, cooperative leaders and Irrigation Water Users Association on governance, financial management and conflict resolution