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By Annonciata Byukusenge
Women engaged in Irish potato farming at the Nyabirasi site in Rutsiro District say that this activity has helped them lift themselves out of poverty and malnutrition, thanks to the support they received from the SAIP project.
Sifa Jeannette and Turikubwimana Genereuse are the women who farm potatoes at this site.
Sifa said:
“We are 12 groups farming Irish potatoes at the Nyabirasi site. In total, we cultivate Irish potatoes at 35 hectares. I own half a hectare, and the group I belong to farms one full hectare (1ha). Before receiving support from SAIP, we used to harvest only 6 to 7 tons of Irish potatoes per hectare because we were using poor-quality seeds and farming in an unorganized way. After receiving improved seeds and learning modern farming techniques, we now harvest between 13 and 15 tons per hectare.”
She added that this progress has improved her life significantly, enabling her to start buying livestock.
“I have managed to buy two cows, pay school fees for my children, and afford health insurance on time. Our family life has changed, and malnutrition is no longer an issue in my family. I had never achieved this before.”
Turikubwimana Genereuse shared a similar experience, saying that SAIP helped her fight malnutrition and stunting in her family. Although she had food before, she didn’t know how to prepare it properly.
“I was already a small-scale farmer and livestock keeper, but lacked knowledge. This led to some of my children suffering from nutrition-related illnesses. SAIP gave us training on how to prepare balanced meals and also provided us with fruit trees, including avocado and passion fruit, as well as small livestock like chickens, pigs, and goats. I received 500 passion fruit trees. Now I am a passion fruit farmer.”
The entire Nyabirasi site covers 900 hectares, of which 700 are cultivated. Crops grown on this land include: Irish Potatoes on 35 hectares, Beans on 453 hectares, Maize on 210 hectares, Vegetables on 2 hectares.
Western Province Governor Jean Bosco Ntibitura said the SAIP project significantly contributed to reducing malnutrition and stunting.
He said:
“In 2020, we had a high rate of child malnutrition, about 40%, but that has dropped to 21.8%, according to the MHC report published in May 2025. We are grateful to our partners. There’s still much to be done, but with joint efforts, we will achieve our goals.”
SAIP activities in the Western Province are in the districts named Nyabihu, Karongi, Rutsiro, Ngororero, and Rusizi.
The Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project (SAIP) is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) through the World Bank. The project is implemented under RAB’s Single Project Implementation Unit (SPIU).
