RWAMAGANA - Rwamagana has earmarked 15,000 hectares for cultivation as part of a drive to improve food security in the district.

This was announced yesterday during a meeting that attracted all sector agricultural officers to prepare for the 2011-12 ‘A’ season.

According to authorities, the overriding concern was increasing agricultural output from the household to the community level.

Pierre Celestin Mukeshimana, the district’s agricultural officer, noted that farming is the main source of rural incomes.

"We can’t allow our agricultural output to go down...we must sustain the momentum, so that the food crisis and global economic downturn doesn’t hit us,” he said.

"The bottom-line is that we need sufficient food to feed our communities and surplus for sale. Rice, bananas, cassava, beans and coffee will be top of our agenda.”

Ildephonse Kagibwami, a Cell leader in Rubona sector, pointed out that most of the land in the district was fertile and farmers can reap big.

"If we plant crops on 15,000 hectares, we can earn Rwf 12 billion,” he said.

Privat Rutazigwa, an agricultural official in the area, cautioned land owners who have left the land idle.

"Some people from as far as Kigali or elsewhere bought land and left it idle. This affects our general production...so the directive that every land must be used for production should be respected,” he said.

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