Rwandan farmers are grappling with climate change, which continues to cause a decline in agriculture output in some areas, according to experts’ surveys.
Expert analysis for the period since 1971 showed a temperature increase of 1.4°C due to global warming.
According to experts, the last six years (from 2015 to 2020) have been the warmest on record.
As a result, Rwanda lost between 35 and 45 days of rain every year compared to the years before 1971.
Contrary, there has been a rise of 5.6 rain days in the northern region.
Anthony Twahirwa, the Division Manager of Weather/Climate Services and Applications at Rwanda Meteorology Agency, says that like other countries in the world, Rwanda is facing climate change effects.
Rwanda used to have four seasons but it is tending to have two extreme seasons, rainy and dry, owing to changes in the weather patterns.
Jean Claude Izamuhaye, the Head of Department, Crop Research and Technology Transfer at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) told The New Times that a recent assessment revealed that the delay of rainfall onset and early cessation of rains caused by climate change was affecting farmers.
"For instance, rainfall early cessation has led to a 20-30 per cent reduction of expected bean yield in some sectors in Burera District,” he said.
The affected sectors include Kinyababa, Butaro, Kivuye, Bungwe and Gatebe located in the agro-ecological zone of Buberuka high land.
He said that there was also a 5-10 per cent yield reduction compared to the expectations in some locations of the Eastern province.
"For maize, yield reductions were evaluated around 20 per cent in Bugesera and Nyagatare districts although Season B is not the main season for maize production,” Izamuhaye said.
Despite the effects in some parts of the country, Izamuhaye assured that it did not affect the national outlook of bean production, saying the general performance of the 2021 Season B was not much affected.
However, national bean productivity remains low compared to targets due to different challenges including climate-related effects.
The sector review for quarter two of the 2020/21 fiscal year carried out by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning indicates that bean productivity was 1.03 tonnes per hectare in the 2016/17 fiscal year but was decreased to 0.6 tonnes per hectare in 2020.
The target was 1.69 tonnes per hectare in the 2020/21 fiscal year, but the production remains below target.
The major issues leading to low productivity compared to set targets, researchers say, are mainly the gap in extension services, quality of agro-inputs and climate effects such as heavy rains or dry spells.
Farmers urged on early maturing varieties
Izamuhaye has urged farmers to embrace the use of early maturing varieties that grow in short periods in case early cessation of rains are predicted.
Early maturing varieties are available at the level of seed multipliers in the country,” he noted.
in order to deal with the challenges, he explained, farmers must adhere to good farming practices.
Despite the advice to farmers, Joseph Gafaranga, the Secretary-General of Imbaraga Farmers Organisation that advocates for farmers, farmers do not use early maturing varieties because they do not have accurate and reliable weather information from the weatherman.
In addition, he said, early maturing varieties or short-grown period varieties do not produce enough yields.
"Farmers need reliable information and in an effective and efficient way for better planning for the season,” he said.
Izamuhaye said agriculture insurance could cushion farmers against losses.
However, overall, over 60,000 ha are irrigated in Rwanda – out of the country’s 1.5 million hectares of arable land.
Plans are underway to increase the irrigated farm area to over 102,000 ha by 2024.
Agriculture insurance also remains low and by May this year, only 160,000 farmers growing rice, maize, pepper, French beans, Irish Potatoes and others on 29,300 hectares had benefited from subsidized insurance.
Financing gap
In order to cope with climate change effects, Rwanda needs finance worth $109.6 million to expand crop and livestock insurance by 2030.
The 10-year climate plan shows that there is a need for $18.2 million from 2020 to 2025 and $91.3 million from 2025 to 2030.
Currently, only around Rwf400 million is invested in subsidising crop and livestock insurance per year.
Developing climate-resilient crops and promoting climate-resilient livestock requires $24 million.