Urgent agricultural support to help flood victims to build back better

Emergency assistance can impact the lives of rural farmers

The healthy crops rise hope of the good harvest from the planted seeds that were distributed under the project. ©Sylvain Hakizimana

26/01/2021

About 2 900 households – a total of 13 651 vulnerable individuals – whose crops were destroyed by the floods, received emergency agricultural support to help them rebuild their livelihoods.

The heavy rains in April and May 2020 triggered extensive landslides and floods, washing away farming fields, destroyed houses and other infrastructures, thus, threatening the livelihoods of rural communities that derive a living from agriculture.

In October of the same year, with funds from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF), the most affected families selected in Ngororero, Nyabihu and Gakenke districts received emergency agricultural tools and inputs that composed of iron beans, hybrid maize, fertilizers (DAP, NPK and UREA), hoes, shovels, pickaxes and watering cans.

The farmers’ stories

Venuste: using the tools for off-farm work

Venuste Mucyowurwanda planted the seeds, and thanks to the fertilizers (DAP, NPK and UREA) he received his plants are growing well. Once he harvests, he says, his farming will eat part of the produce, and sell some for incomes to meet other family necessities.

“We are expecting to harvest quality seeds; we will eat and share some with the neighbors who are asking for them. In addition, agricultural tools will continue to help us even as we continue with farming; I have used them to carry out the casual work I got under the government’s Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP).”

Florien: quality seeds for future production

The floods and landslides destroyed Florien Nsabimana’s 50 acres of banana plantation, 12 acres of yams, a hectare of cassava, and seven avocado trees. His house was also destroyed by the strong winds. Farming is the only source of livelihood for his family of seven people.

“We are very thankful to FAO and the district for having come to help us during that difficult time. These seeds are nutritious and high in yield; my family will eat, and preserve some for the future planting seasons.”

Innocent: improving family’s diet

Beans are a chief food to Innocent Bagirinshuti’s family diet - accompanying foods like maize, potatoes, and cassava. The bean and maize seeds were planted in two fields, and he kept a small quantity of maize for the coming season.

“Our soils are poor, we need to apply also organic manure. Though we don’t expect to get good production from this field, we are happy that we will eat these varieties of beans, and will sell some and the maize. We will keep small quantity of the nutritious iron bean seeds for the next seasons and we thank FAO very much for having assisted us.”

The agriculture tools, the seeds, and awareness materials will continue to aid the farmers even after the project is long closed to improve their livelihoods and living conditions, and to better prepare for future environment disasters like landslides, heavy rains and floods.

Related links on the project