Agriculture

Nyanza: voice matters, farmers celebrate their now participation in district performance contract

Farmers from Nyanza District grouped in Imbaraga association are celebrating their now participation in their District performance contract. It happened after they raise a voice claiming their right in decision making concerning the planning of what to grow in their soil.

The issue was that the district planning team used to decide for them what they had to grow without consulting them first, the procedure resulted in much deficit and farmers were losing in front of production.

After being trained by transparency International Rwanda (TI Rwanda), in partnership with SDA IRIBA and IMBARAGA association, through their project to promote and empower the citizen’s participation, in district performance contract, especially in agriculture, farmers of Nyanza District grouped in cooperatives refuted on what was been done by the district planning team in  agriculture sector.

Mr. Charles Ndayisaba is the representative of farmers’ cooperative Icyerecyezo, Busoro Sector, confirms that before they did not have plan for their future, he said, they used to wait for God’s miracles.

There came this project of TI Rwanda that trained them about mind change toward vision 2020 and raise the voice claiming their rights in what’s planned for them. While TI Rwanda were doing the research about what would be citizen’s problem and wishes, they talked about every challenge they had, all of them were presented in report to the district leaders, and their voice was heard.

Mr. Munyampara Sylvestre is the representative of farmers grouped in Urumuri rw’abahinzi cooperative that actively work from Inganzo swamp in Busasamana sector, between Nyanza and Rwesero cells, this swamp is surrounded by hills of Mwima, Mushirarungu and Gakenyeli, on the square of 12 ha. They grow maize, vegetables and potatoes.

Before they were told to grow soya beans and they failed the production, but now that they grow what they choose themselves, the production is increasing year after year. Mr Munyampara said “this is the result of our stand up and talk loud.” 

Mr. Rugerimisare Nicodem is the spokesperson of famers’ cooperatives in Nyanza district, he said “before they used to come and tell us what to grow, but soon after that TI Rwanda trained us and showed us where our problem was and how to express our needs to our local leaders, now RAB (Rwanda Agriculture Board) is helping to test seeds before we grow them.”

Before they did not know where, when and how the district performance contract was done, they just used to see things happening upon them. But now, they take part in their district planning team, especially farmers, they are the ones deciding for what they have to grow on their soil, the district technical team intervene in implementation with technical advices and help.

The farmers in Nyanza district have great hope to succeed for their vision 2020 goals; the outcome from their interactions with TI Rwanda is visible from whichever angle.

The local leaders accepted the challenge

Mr. Mugabonake Teogene, the district staff in charge of agriculture affirms that they are from far to the important level they are now glad of. After that they allow farmers to grow what they agree with, their production increased on the level that buyers come from other district to buy the production from Nyanza farmers.

He affirms that the farmers raised their voices and them as the planning team accepted the challenge and allowed them to grow what they agree with. They now approach farmers and decide together what is to be grown next. The farmer became the base of choice and decision influencer. 

Mr. Nizeyimana Eddy Makeba the National coordinator of this project explained how it started. It is a project of TI Rwanda that is funded by World Bank through its program of Global Partner for social accountability. The project has the main objective of empowering and increase the participation of citizens in their District performance contract, specifically in agriculture sector.

The people’s participation was invisible and there was a lot to be done. If they increase the citizen participation in The district performance contract, as a tool that Rwandan government put in place to speed up the development of its citizens, to work with facts and measures of development, in main activities like agriculture that is the key point of Rwandan lives, then its success would be assured.

Farmers are now participating in planning, next step is to train them in monitoring and evaluation and this will prevent corruption and delay of important activities, one of the main objectives of Transparency International Rwanda.  

Francine Andrew Mukase

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *