By Adolf Ayoreka
In a bid to improve crop yields and productivity in Rubirizi, the Government, through the water ministry has commissioned five small-scale irrigation schemes in the five sub-counties of Rubirizi district.
The five small-scale irrigation schemes are Rugarama scheme in Kyabakara sub-county, Nyakahita scheme in Katerera sub-county, Kyenzaza scheme in Kirugu sub-county, Kanyegaramire scheme in Katerera and Kafuro scheme in Kirugu sub-county.
All the five irrigation schemes worth shillings 2.5 billion were commissioned on Monday, December 2, 2024, by Rubirizi Resident District Commissioner Bruno Kinkanshemeza with officials from the water ministry.
High value crops
Apollo Byaruhanga, a cotton farmer from Kirugu told New Vision Online that they have been majorly doing subsistence agriculture since they have been depending on two rainy seasons in a year.
“But officials from the ministry before implementation of these schemes, first sensitised us on how important it is to start planting high-value crops throughout the year without depending on rain,” Byaruhanga said.
He added: “We hope this is going to improve on our crop yields since we have water for our crops. Most of our farmers have been depending on cassava, sorghum and coffee but we have been advised to diversify and start planting high-value crops like cabbages, onions and green pepper that bring income so easily”.
Change in yields
Molly Natumanya, also a farmer, said from the time they started using irrigation water last season, they have noticed a significant change in their yields.
“We were allowed to start using this water last season, we had planted onions and watermelons, which we have just harvested and the yields were high compared to before when we were only depending on cotton and cassava” Natumanya said.
Ronald Ahimbisibwe, te agricultural officer for Kirugu, said Kafuro is one of the villages that are hit hard during dry spells leading to high yield losses.
“But now, we are grateful to the Government that they thought about our farmers who are now going to be planting all year around and as extension workers, we shall continue to guide them on enterprises that bring money so quickly” said Ahimbisibwe.
Model areas
Senior water ministry engineer Edward Babona Tumwesigye said these schemes will not only improve food security but also will work as models for intending farmers who wish to learn better methods of farming and replicate them on their farms.
Babona said the five irrigation schemes each were implemented at a cost of shillings 500 million and they cover 60 acres of land in the five sub-counties.
“We want the communities to use these schemes productively and be able to achieve the Government’s goal of increased production and productivity but also to guard these projects from being vandalised,” Babona said.
RDC warns extension workers
Kikanshemeza warned all agriculture extension workers in the five sub-counties not to sit in their offices but rather move out and guide farmers on better enterprise selection to be able to benefit from the schemes.
He fumed after finding farmers in Rugarama village are using the project to irrigate only coffee and cassava with no gardens of high-value crops like tomatoes.
“I’m disappointed with all the extension workers and the district agriculture officer, what has been your role in ensuring that these farmers plant crops that bring money quickly? Why are you being paid our money?” Kikanshemeza asked.
He added: “You can’t be paid highly and just keep in offices without reaching out to our farmers to advise them on what to do now that water is here, he who does not want to be in the field will have to leave this district. We cannot keep operating normally and leave this project to be a white elephant”.
He asked all the extension works to pick interests in all areas where the schemes have been commissioned.
“I want to come back in the next three months to find these people with gardens of onions, tomatoes and cabbages but not cassava”
All five schemes use solar energy to pump water from the abstraction points to the reservoir tanks before moving by gravity to the gardens through laser prays.
