Muyira, farmers disagree with leaders on bananas’ production market shortage
Farmers in Muyiza sector, Nyanza district disagree with their leaders on bananas’ production market shortage. They claim to have planned bananas’ growing in their district performance contract, but have not planned about the market of their production, which led them to the loss they are facing today.
Revelian Karera is a bananas’ farmer and multiplier from Muyira sector; he says that he used to grow local bananas, before that he get fhia from ISAR (Institut des Sciences Agronomique du Rwanda) Rubona, and multiplied it for the entire neighborhood. He said “bananas’ production increased considerably but the small market we had never expanded, so it was encumbered.”
“We visited farmers of Ruhangaza, and found that their banana was sold between 8 and 12 thousands Rwandan francs each, we were amazed by their profit and decided to grow fhia too.” Said Jean Mparirwa, a farmer from Bugina village, Migina cell in Muyira sector. “But when the production season came, we realized that our market was unable to take all our production.” Mparirwa added.
Some buyers came once and never came back, now the price dropped considerably. “The banana that used to be sold at 8 to 10 thousands Rwandan francs, nowadays we sell it at 1,000 to 1,500 Rwandan francs.” said Mparirwa with a deceived tone. “We were surpassed.” he added.
Some like solutions came their way
A farmers’ agricultural facilitator, Athanase Nyirimbibi, who was trained by Rwanda Agriculture Board on banana plantation, says that the beer’s bananas which are not consumed by everybody might be the reason behind market shortage.
Therefore, farmers will be mobilized to replace beer’s bananas by green eaten bananas up to 70 percent, and their first market will be people’s food. This decision seems like an accurate solution but farmers are losing the current production, while they invested their time and money in it.
Other solution
The administration presents what may be a long term solution for the bananas’ production. Mr. Jacques Dusengimana is Muyira sector’s agronomist; he says that they understand farmers’ sorrow but that it’s not over yet.
“When we decided to grow banana our main aim was food security; but farmers decided themselves either they grow beer’s bananas or green eaten bananas.” Said Dusengimana. “The way of solution is connecting buyers with farmers; there is one we talked with and he agreed to take that production and produce bananas’ beer, which will be sold by farmers themselves.” Dusengimana added.
Farmers will be collecting bananas’ production to be taken by the buyer and open stores for bananas’ beer, which will be managed, distributed and sold by some among farmers. The main store will be managed by Madame Jeanette Kanyange, one of top bananas’ producers of Muyira.