All Districts in Eastern Province, except Rwamagana and Ngoma, face possible shortage of food and animal feeds due to the ongoing drought spell. In separate interviews, last week, district mayors expressed concern that some livestock farmers in the province were taking their cattle to the neighbouring districts in search of pasture. John Mugabo, the Kayonza District mayor, said, with the drought in vast parts of the region, there was possibility of hunger among local communities. “One more month without rain and most villages will be doomed. The sectors of Gahini, Mwiri and Murundi are the worst hit, yet they have the biggest population of cattle in our district. Crops are drying up...Several households could soon face food shortages,” he said. Nyagatare mayor Fred Sabiti Atuhe also said the district was experiencing its worst drought in years with little pasture and water for livestock. He said the drought had virtually depleted vegetation and dried up most water dams, causing fears among farmers who are now left with little feeds and water for their animals. “A part from the northern sectors of the district, in other sectors there hasn’t been a single drop of rain for the last five months,” he said. Peter Buhigiro, a farmer in Buhabwa in Kayonza District, said more than 20,000 heads of cattle were at risk. “The prices of cattle have gone down. The animals are too weak to be transported to areas where they offer good prices like Kigali. Some farmers sell their cows for Rwf100,000 each, down from Rwf200,000. It is catastrophic,” he said. Dr Justin Zimurinda, the representative of Rwanda Animal Resources Development Authority in Nyagatare, acknowledged that drought was affecting farmers. “The losses are obvious and dependence on rain is our undoing as usual,” he said.
