Rwanda is set to transform nearly 4,000 hectares of farmland in its drought-prone Eastern Province through three major irrigation projects valued at $77 million (nearly Rwf111 billion). Scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, these initiatives aim to strengthen agricultural resilience against the growing impacts of climate change and boost food security in the region. ALSO READ: Rusumo hydro plant to power key irrigation schemes Telesphore Ndabamenye, the Director General of Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), shared the update during a June 30 hearing by the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on issues raised in the Auditor General’s 2023/24 report. ALSO READ: Stalled $120m Kirehe irrigation project finally coming to life The three projects are Mpanga, Mahama I and Mahama II, all in Kirehe District, Eastern Province, which is prone to drought. ALSO READ: Lawmakers grill RAB over stalled multibillion irrigation project The Mpanga hillside irrigation project, valued at over $18 million, is set to cover 650 hectares. While construction is complete, Ndabamenye said that testing and project handover was delayed due to the lack of electricity to power water pumps drawing from River Akagera. The generators needed for the testing are expected in August, with commissioning planned for October, he said. The Mahama I project worth $27 million and Mahama II ($32 million) will irrigate 1,225 and 1,900 hectares, respectively. The two projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of December. Ndabamenye explained that project costs vary depending on the size of their command area, terrain and pumping needs. The projects are funded through loans from the Export-Import Bank of India (India Exim Bank) and are nearing completion, with most infrastructure in place, he said. The three projects, Ndabamenye said, along with other schemes, are contributing to Rwanda’s goal of expanding irrigated land from the current 70,000 to the targeted 130,000 hectares by 2029. “Reaching this target will require significant investment and faster project execution,” he said. The other schemes, he noted, include the World Bank-funded Commercialization and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project (CDAT) which targets 11,000 hectares and the IFAD-supported Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Management Project - Phase II (KIIWP2) covering 2,200 hectares). The World Bank-funded project runs from 2022 to 2027. According to IFAD, the two projects run from 2021 through 2028. Talking about the broader vision, Ndabamenye said Rwanda ultimately has to irrigate about 500,000 hectares. This, he said, requires setting bold targets to cover such an arable area in line with making farming resilience to climate change shocks.
