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By Jeanne Françoise UMUMARARUNGU
According to a recent study, Rwanda could lose more than 745,000 hectares of it’s topsoil which is used for agricultural activities land, every year, costing the nation more than Rwf800 billion.
Today In Nyaruguru District, they decided to introduce a campaign against soil erosion through a competition, where who people will succeed, will be rewarded prize of money and agricultural tools in order to empower him/her and others.
This campaign launched in Nyaruguru region has the aim of fighting for erosion through competition so as to encourage everyone. Some farmers who talked to The ForeFrontMagazine said that this is a good way of empowering people to fight against erosion because through this campaign, they will learn many strategies against soil loss.
In addition to that, they added that they can’t lose these rewards while contributing in soil protection.
The Prime Minister, Dr. Eduard Ngirente, told all Rwandans to stand up and fight for the problem of soil erosion by planting fruit trees and other crops which may maintain soil.
In this competition organised in Nyaruguru district, the first winner in each sub-village (ISIBO) will be rewarded seventy thousand Rwandan francs (70,000RWF) and best Isibo in a sector will be rewarded hundred thousand Rwandan francs (100,000Rwf), then first sector in district will be awarded seven hundred thousands Rwandan francs (700,000Rwf).
It is expected that through this competition, soil erosion problem will be fought on 19 thousand hectares by October, 2022.To boost anti-erosion measures in the country, around 20 million tree seedlings, including agroforestry and fruit trees, will be planted by October,2022.
Erosion is a major issue in the country, pointing out that it takes away a lot of its soil. Only 282,352 hectares which represent 26% of Rwanda’s 1,080,168 hectares of erosion-prone land are protected, across all provinces. The cost of erosion control measures in the nation is estimated to be Rwf514 billion, of which 323 billion are needed to protect agricultural land against soil erosion (about 60% of the total risk areas) using bench terraces, contour bank terraces known as progressive terraces, and agroforestry and hay plantations on contour banks.
By making annual investments of roughly Rwf40 billion to use a community-based method to protect agricultural land against excessive erosion, the project would take about eight years to complete, from 2022 to 2030.
