- Rwanda’s Rural Rehabilitation Initiative (Rwarri) intends to install a solar irrigation project in Ngoma district.
- The project aims to improve the farmer’s productivity, especially during the dry season. It is expected that about 24,000 farmers will benefit from the programme.
Rwanda’s Rural Rehabilitation Initiative (Rwarri) will implement a solar irrigation project in Ngoma district. This project intends to better the production capacity of about 24,000 farmers. Rwarri will install two solar-powered water pumping stations and two clay stone reservoirs of 500 m3 each at Zaza and Mutenderi sectors in Ngoma. Over 20 hectares of farm plantation and about 600 women are expected to benefit from the project. The solar water pumps will help the farmers combat the impacts of climate change.
As an added component of the project, Rwarri will provide farmers with training on sustainable agriculture practices and the operation of renewable technologies. According to Rwarri, the solar pumps will boost productivity as it will lower the water costs for planting during the dry season. “Currently, to produce vegetables during the 3 months of the dry season, the farmer spends about 600,000 Rwandan francs (almost 500 euros) on fuel for the generator used to pump water up the hillside. These expenses are very high for a farmer working in the Zaza or Mutenderi areas, which is why we farm our land for only two seasons instead of three” Added Rwarri.
The project will cost 260 million Rwandan francs (about €217,000). About 64% of the funds -168 million Rwandan francs – will be provided by the Rwanda Green Fund (Fonerwa).