The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) has recommended that Irish potato farmers adopt proper crop rotation as a way to address agricultural malpractices leading to low production.
Recent data by Rwanda National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) in the ‘Seasonal Agriculture Survey Season B 2023’ shows a decline in Irish potato cultivation. Land of cultivation that was estimated at 48,210 hectares indicated a nine per cent reduction from the previous season which was estimated at 52,858 ha.
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The decrease is also seen in the national potato yield where the average production stood at 326,677 metric tonnes in 2023 Season B, while 331,016 metric tonnes were produced in 2022 Season B. By then, there was an increase of five per cent.
What’s behind the decline?
According to Director of Economic Statistics at NISR, Jean Claude Mwizerwa, potato farmers, predominantly in Northern Province, shifted to other crops mostly wanted on the market.
"The decrease is explained by shifting from Irish potato to other crops such as beans and pyrethrum due to competitive prices. This was mainly observed in the Northern province,” he disclosed.
Although potato farming in Northern and Western provinces has recently been affected by climate change, land for Irish potato cultivation in Musanze is being consumed, Florence Uwamahoro, the Deputy Director General of Agriculture at RAB, told The New Times.
Crop rotation encouraged
Irish potato is largely grown in the volcanic districts of Musanze, Burera, Nyabihu and Rubavu. The region is considered as the basket of the country for staple crops. Southern areas in Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe districts are also added; however, farmers still go through various challenges including limited skills in agriculture resulting in poor production.
Théogene Nshimiyimana is one of the farmers decrying low yield, also citing the lack of access to improved and subsidised potato seeds as a major obstacle that affects their livelihoods and consequently limits the ability to afford health insurance.
"Our area produces a vast amount of potatoes, but we suffer losses due to the unavailability of quality seeds and fertilisers. We urge the government to provide us with good (potato) seeds,” he told The New Times in a previous interview.
To address such problems, Uwamahoro said, farmers should get used to proper crop rotation as it boosts production and acts as pests and diseases control.
"When farmers do not practice proper rotation, production decreases. Crop rotation fights pests and diseases, it’s a good practice to grow one crop per one season and rotate to other crops like vegetables for the next season,” she noted.
Uwamahoro also assured that the board continues conducting several studies so as to address poor production and is encouraging farmers to use improved seeds.