Govt to save 1,700 ha Bugarama arable wetland from floods

Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) has announced plans to save the 1,753-hectare Bugarama arable wetland from recurrent floods that have plunged rice farmers into losses in Rusizi District. The erosion and flooding from the hills in the sectors of Rwimbogo, Nzahaha, and Gitambi flow into Njambwe and Gatabuvuga rivers, submerging Bugarama wetland. Florence Uwamahoro, the Deputy Director General in charge of Agriculture Development at RAB, made the pledge on February 23, 2024, as Meteo Rwanda, the weather forecasting agency, predicts heavy rains from March to May which particularly affect farmers with arable wetlands. ALSO READ: Farmers seek Rwf10 billion to rehabilitate irrigation facilities “We have 70 arable wetlands and some are the most affected by floods such as Bugarama wetland. There is a project called CDAT that will help build resilience to flooding in this wetland. The project will also control soil erosion in the wetland catchment areas in sectors around the wetland. We also urge farmers to embrace agriculture insurance,” she said. Commercialisation and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project (CDAT) is a $300 million financing facility to implement the rehabilitation of irrigation systems on over 17,600 hectares, as well as land husbandry development on about 11,000 hectares. In December 2023, over 40 hectares of Bugarama wetland were devastated by floods. The project will also establish irrigation facilities for 400 hectares in this wetland that were not being utilised. These hectares could be added to the current, 352 hectares being utilised in the wetland despite recurrent floods. At least Rwf25 billion will be invested in rehabilitating the Bugarama wetland. ALSO READ: Farmers devastated as floods destroy crops According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, 30 arable marshlands will be developed in the next three years. Warufu marshland with around 3,000 hectares in Gatsibo District will be developed by the Commercialisation and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project (CDAT). The same project will also develop the Mwogo marshland in four districts of Southern Province. Rwanda loses more than Rwf800 billion annually due to soil erosion, according to the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB). The erosion control map shows that of the 30 districts of Rwanda, land under high erosion risk is over one million hectares [45 per cent of the total provinces’ land which is over two million hectares].

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Govt to save 1,700 ha Bugarama arable wetland from floods