Rwanda needs at least 693.7 million cubic metres of water storage by 2034 to meet projected irrigation demand, according to Davis Bugingo, the Flood Management and Water Storage Development Division Manager at the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB).

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Bugingo said the country currently has about 83.5 million cubic metres of storage capacity across more than 50 dams, most of which are small and primarily serve irrigation and water-supply needs.

He said the gap between existing capacity and projected demand highlights the need for major investment in water-storage infrastructure.

"By 2034, we need at least 693.7 million cubic metres to have enough water to support irrigation across the country,” he said.

Demand is expected to rise substantially by 2050, when the country could need 1.339 billion cubic metres to support irrigation.

The growing demand is being driven by plans to expand irrigated agriculture, population growth and increasing pressure on water resources.

Bugingo said expanding storage capacity is also important as the country faces increasing climate variability and changing rainfall patterns.

"Most of our activities currently are still dependent on rainfall,” he said, stressing the need for larger storage facilities to ensure water availability during dry periods.

Adequate storage could also help manage extreme rainfall and flooding by retaining excess water for later use, Bugingo said.

He further highlighted the importance of protecting catchments from land degradation to reduce sedimentation and extend the useful life of reservoirs.

He added that coordinated planning among government institutions, development partners and other stakeholders will be critical to ensuring that available water resources are allocated efficiently.

610,595 hectares of irrigable land mapped

The Ministry of Agriculture convened a side event on "Irrigable Land Maps: Growth & Investment”, bringing together stakeholders to explore how data-driven mapping can inform investment decisions, identify opportunities for irrigation development, and accelerate productive, climate-resilient and sustainable agri-food systems.

The Africa Food Systems Summit kicked off on Monday, August 31, with side events discussing why water matters for Africa’s food systems.

The summit has brought together more than 5,000 participants from over 50 countries around a shared agenda of investing in Africa’s agri-food systems to create jobs, nourish nations and build resilience.

Discussions at the side event spotlighted the critical role of data in unlocking Africa’s irrigation potential.

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Through the FAO–MINAGRI partnership, the initiative "Reconsidering Potential Water Resources to Expand Irrigable Land in Rwanda” was implemented from 2024 to 2026. The project aims to improve knowledge of the country’s water resources and develop a database to identify priority areas for irrigation investment.

In total, 610,595 hectares of potentially irrigable land were mapped at national, catchment and district scales.

Of this, 386,381 hectares correspond to agricultural land identified in district plans as of May 2026. Within that area, 171,404 hectares fall under FOBASI (Food-Basket) priority sites — areas the government has identified as most strategic for food production.

The study says 102,609 hectares of irrigable land need immediate investment, while 96,574 hectares need investment in the medium term. A further 187,198 hectares have the greatest potential in terms of size, but require significant and complex investment before they can be developed.

Currently, only 74,375 hectares were irrigated cumulatively in 2024–2025, showing significant room for expansion.

The findings highlight the opportunity to expand irrigated agriculture through better water-resource planning, targeted investment and improved use of existing irrigation potential.

"We cannot build resilience while our farmers remain dependent on increasingly unpredictable rainfall. This is particularly important for Rwanda, where agriculture remains central to our economy and rural livelihoods, but much of our production is still rain-fed. Increasing rainfall variability, prolonged dry spells and recurrent droughts, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the country, are creating additional challenges,” said Florence Uwamahoro, Acting Director General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).

She said the maps should inform district planning, national investment decisions and the updating of the Irrigation Master Plan.

"For Rwanda, therefore, irrigation is no longer simply an agricultural infrastructure investment; it is a strategic investment in food security, climate resilience, increased productivity and rural transformation,” she said.

She said there is a need to prioritise and sequence investment.

"Not every site can be developed at the same time. The assessment distinguishes quick-win areas from those requiring medium- and longer-term interventions. We should start where investment can generate faster impact, particularly in strategic production areas, while preparing more complex sites through appropriate feasibility, environmental and investment studies,” she noted.

Water and irrigation take centre stage at AFS forum

Stakeholders have emphasised that "water is food security and Africa cannot afford to treat it as an afterthought”.

Africa holds 9% of the world’s renewable water resources and 60% of its arable land, yet only 6% of its land is irrigated.

As Senator Abubakar Kyari, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, put it: "Without water security there is no food security, and without food security there is no peace.”

Olufunke Cofie of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) added another important challenge to the conversation: "The question now is not whether Africa has the resources. It is whether we can invest in the right solutions to unlock them.”