To strengthen the agricultural associations and the cooperatives in Rwanda

The objective of this project is to reduce poverty in 3 districts of the southern province of Rwanda, by strengthening the agricultural associations and cooperatives. This project will favor an increase in the production of food and agricultural produce that can be sold at the market, which will increase their income.

The 1990’s were those of the genocide and war in Rwanda. That decade has seen more than one million deaths, but since a few years, the situation has improved. Infant mortality (< 5 years) decreased from 24% in 1995 to 11% in 2009.

However, malnutrition remains a severe problem; the percentage of people not being able to eat the minimal amount of daily calories is still at 36%.

During the first phase of the project (2008 – 2010), 68 associations of agricultural producers have been trained and helped to increase their agricultural production and improve their operations.

The objectives the current phase of the project (2011 – 2013)

This second phase will extend the support to 978 people, regrouped in 36 agricultural associations or cooperatives.
The members wished to develop their skills in the culture of new varieties of cassava, corn, etc. For this purpose, they visited other organizations that have experience in these domains. They will be trained with agricultural and soil conservation techniques. They will then be able to multiply the seeds or cuttings from those cultures. For this second phase, a particular emphasis is put on biological agriculture, with the collaboration of the GAKO Organic Farming Training Center (GOFTC), an organization specialized in the training for biological agriculture. As in the first phase, they will be trained also to management techniques, to the rules of cooperatives and to basic accounting. They will be helped with access to credit in order to be able to finance their development, being integrated in the local microfinance network.

In the end, this project will contribute to the food security of approximately 7’000 people.