At least 71,762 farmers from Northern Province have received fertilizers and seeds on credit from One Acre Fund-TUBURA. Founded in 2007 in Rwanda, One Acre Fund-TUBURA is an agricultural development organisation serving over 465,000 farm families in Rwanda. It provides farmers with quality farm inputs for voluntary purchase. The organisation trains farmers on the latest agricultural practices, and how to sell harvest surplus and also offers other products on credit, like solar lights. One Acre Fund-TUBURA started operating in other provinces and has now expanded its services to farmers in Northern Province. Evariste Bagambiki, a communications specialist with One Acre Fund- TUBURA said that under 2021 A planting season at least 3,260.903 tonnes of DAP; UREA, NPK and lime have to be distributed to farmers. One Acre Fund- TUBURA says that it will also distribute 155.982 tonnes of maize seeds, 494,492 Vegetable seeds packets, 8,217 Purdue improved crop storage bags for post-harvest handling as well as 11,336 solar units for farmers’ welfare. “We distribute fertilizers, maize and vegetable seeds to farmers on credit and they pay in installments but we request to at least finish paying back the credit when they harvest their crops. Usually, the deadline is July and August. We also train them on modern farming practices,” he said. Bagambiki said that One Acre Fund- TUBURA has trained field officers at cell level who register and also train the farmers in need of inputs. The field officers help farmers enroll with One Acre Fund- TUBURA order for the fertilizers and seeds by using their mobile phones via the USSD system (*801*0#). “Their orders reach our IT system so that we know the ordered quantity and later distribute it to them within a walking distance” he said. Before COVID-19, he said, One Acre Fund- TUBURA used to distribute seeds and fertilizers to masses of farmers in the shortest time but in order to prevent COVID-19, it has currently established stores at cell level where each farmer walks and collects their ordered seeds and fertilizer. He explained that a new farmer can get up to 200 kilograms of fertilizers on credit while those who have worked with One Acre Fund- TUBURA for more than one year can get up to 500 kilogrammes of fertilizers. Farmers speak out Patrick Nshimiyimana, a farmer from Northern Province, Kinigi sector, Kaguhu cell said that getting fertilizers and seeds on credit is timely intervention. “Contrary to previous agricultural seasons, we have now obtained great support. It will help us get fertilizers and seeds on credit to be paid back in installments until when we harvest. I need between 150 kilogrammes and 200 kilogrammes,” he said. He said that before the agro-inputs credit scheme, they would harvest low yields. “Due to lack of enough financial means, I used to plant with little quantity of fertilizers compared to the needed quantity. We would also randomly use fertilizers without measuring the quantity of needed fertilizers. This used to reduce expected yields. Now that we can benefit from credit schemes and manuals on agricultural practices, the produce will increase,” he said. Joseph Manirakora, another farmer said that he always needs fertilizers for growing Irish potatoes and maize. The crop is grown in three agricultural seasons; one starts from July to October, the 2nd from November to February and the 3rd from March to June. “We are happy that we will be getting fertilizers on time and on credit contrary to previous time where we were struggling to get them due to financial constraints . I have about one hectare. We were also trained on good agricultural practices. Sometimes we would plant fake seeds but we will also be getting maize seeds on credit and we hope they are not fake seeds,” he said. Jeannette Tuyisenge, a farmer from Bisoke cell, Karambi village said that she grows Irish potatoes 60 acres. “I usually get between five tonnes and six tonnes but with good agricultural practices and fertilizers, the produce will increase,” he said. She said that she used to use 50 kilogrammes of fertilizers on 20 ares for Irish potatoes and through the training from One Acre Fund-TUBURA, she learnt that she can use up to 60 kilogrammes. “Due to lack of enough money, I would till a part of land without fertilizers or use little quantity which was affecting productivity,” she said. Farmers in Northern Province have received fertilizers on credit from One Acre Fund Tubura. Farmers on queue to get fertilizers and seeds from Tubura. One of the farmers collecting sack of fertilizers in Kinigi in Northern province under credit scheme by One Acre Fund-Tubura. Tubura has established stores of fertilizers and seeds at cell level in Northern Province.
