Key to preserving Rwanda’s food security lies in the soil

This week, on March 28, 2025, leaders from the academic, government, and international development communities will meet for an event to discuss ways that farmers can preserve their soil and stand resilient in the face of climate change. These conversations couldn’t come at a better time, as farmers and our food system face rapidly increasing risks. Farmers in Rwanda, like all over the world, are experiencing significant challenges from climate change and land degradation. Our country has seen a notable increase in natural disasters in recent years – according to a report from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Rwanda experienced 10,000 severe storms, floods, landslides, and other disasters in the past eight years alone. Temperatures in Rwanda are rising at a higher rate than the global average, and rainy seasons are becoming shorter and more intense over time, especially in northern and western provinces, government data shows. These challenges pose risks for all Rwandans, not just those who work in agriculture, because we all rely on the food farmers grow. We are fortunate that Rwanda has made huge strides in agricultural development in recent years, but we know that we can’t rest on our laurels. If our agricultural sector is to continue to thrive and provide consumers with safe, affordable food supplies, we will need to avoid some of the pitfalls of conventional agriculture such as reduction in soil health that could hold back our sustainability long term. Fortunately, the government of Rwanda understands this need, and we as a country are preparing for the future. At the Rwanda Institute of Conservation Agriculture (RICA), established with support from the government and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, we are teaching students a new way of farming aimed at improving and preserving soil health and inspiring the next generation of Rwandan leaders to support their country through conservation agriculture. Conventional agriculture, practiced for millennia all over the world, has contributed to big gains in food production, but this has also come at the cost of reduced soil productivity. Unsustainable practices, such as tillage and overworking the soil, have contributed to severe land degradation, water run-off, loss of biodiversity, and soil erosion in many parts of the world, including Rwanda. As a result, global agricultural output and productivity growth is slowing, yet we are seeing increasing demand for food worldwide. Government representatives, local leaders, non-government and farmer organizations from across Rwanda plan to tackle this issue this week at a first National Conservation Agriculture Symposium, hosted at RICA on 28/03/2025 and co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), RICA, the Mennonite Central Committee, and the World Food Programme. This symposium will discuss how conservation agriculture, a set of agricultural practices aimed building healthy soil, managing water resources, and preventing erosion, can ultimately lead to better crop productivity, farmer livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and food security. Conservation agriculture requires farmers to shift their methods and mentality – this approach has ample benefits for their productivity and profitability and for society as a whole. The main focus of conservation agriculture is preserving and increasing soil health. It may sound simple, but soil is the foundation for all of agriculture. Healthy agricultural soils are more productive, meaning that farmers can produce better harvests while using fewer costly inputs like chemical fertilizers. Healthy soils are also better at retaining water, which is beneficial in times of heat and drought, and they are less prone to erosion, which is extremely important in Rwanda’s sloping landscape. According to government data, approximately 27 million tons of topsoil is lost every year in Rwanda due to erosion, costing the country’s economy as much as 810 billion Rwandan francs annually. So how can farmers practice conservation agriculture, preserve their soils, and increase their resilience to climate change? Conservation agriculture is a holistic approach that includes several key practices. First, farmers should avoid disturbing the soil as much as possible, ideally by practicing no-till or minimum-till agriculture. Secondly, farmers should keep the soil covered at all times, even after the harvest, by using residues like leaves and stalks from the prior season, and cover crops or mulch. Thirdly, farmers should practice crop rotation or diversification, planting different crops in their fields in alternating seasons. All of these practices can help increase soil nutrients and organic matter, improve water retention, and reduce erosion. In addition to these three key practices, RICA also recommends a number of practices that farmers can deploy, such as using water efficiently, and nutrient management practices, integrating crops and livestock on the farm, and managing production systems to minimize environmental impacts and increase biodiversity. When taken together, these practices have a significant impact on farmer livelihoods and our country’s food security. Soil is one of Rwanda’s greatest assets – preserving it is crucial for our food security, self-sufficiency, and economic growth. At RICA, we are leading a new movement in conservation agriculture, and we are grateful for the government’s vision in making our agriculture systems more sustainable for the generations to come. Dr Magnifique Ndambe Nzaramba Ph.D. is the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Extension and Applied Research at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. RICA will host the First National Conservation Agriculture Symposium on March 28, 2025.

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Key to preserving Rwanda’s food security lies in the soil