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By Annonciata Byukusenge
Irish potato farmers in Rwanda’s Rutsiro District say a government-backed crop insurance program has ended years of devastating losses from landslides, droughts, and floods that once wiped out entire harvests.
Rutsiro, a mountainous district in western Rwanda, is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather. Farmers there have long battled droughts, landslides, floods, and prolonged dry spells that damage or destroy their crops. Since 2024, however, many have enrolled in Tekana, a state agricultural insurance scheme that reimburses farmers for insured losses.
Mutuyimana Florentine, a potato farmer in the Kigeyo Sector, Rwambeho marshland, said the change has been transformative. She expressed her emotions during the Tekana mobilization in the Rutsiro district on 28 May 2026.
“We used to suffer such severe losses that a plot capable of producing more than 500 kilograms of potatoes would produce nothing at all after a disaster struck. Now that we have insured our crops, when disaster hits, we receive compensation.”
During the most recent planting season, the Biruye River, which runs through the Rwambeho marshland where she farms, eroded its banks and flooded her potato fields. An agronomist assessed the damage and filed a report with the insurer.
“The marshland covers 6.5 ha. Under normal conditions, we produce 18 tons per ha, but that season we harvested only 10 tons per ha. Tekana compensated us with approximately one million Rwandan francs.”
Emmanuel Uwizeyimana, the vice mayor of Rutsiro district, is in charge of development and the economy. He acknowledged that participation in the Tekana program remained below potential because many residents had not yet heard of it.
“We are continuing our awareness campaigns to encourage residents to join Tekana. We will work more closely with cell-level leaders, as they have direct contact with the population.”
District figures for the 2025–2026 agricultural season show maize planted on 90,483 hectares, potatoes on 98,540 hectares, and beans on 53,025 hectares. Registered livestock included 1,867 cows, 2,330 chickens, and 1,124 pigs.
Rutsiro commitments
In the Tekana mobilization, the Rutsiro district committed to adding the agriculture and livestock farmers to join Tekana.
The leaders are committed that in one year they will mobilize farmers and join Tekana to reach 140.5 ha of maize, 109.5 ha of beans, and 114.5 ha of Irish potatoes. For livestock, 157 cows will be insured, 26 pigs, and 1450 chickens.
Joseph Museruka, the Project Manager of TEKANA under RAB-SPIU, acknowledges that the program has already delivered meaningful results but says awareness campaigns must continue to extend their reach.
“Each year, more than 200,000 farmers benefit from subsidized insurance under the TEKANA Urishingiwe Muhinzi Mworozi program. The government covers 40% of the subsidy, while the farmer or livestock farmer contributes the remaining 60%. To date, a total of 9,392,461,332 Rwandan francs has been paid out in compensation.”
He adds that crop farmers have received 5,260,214,761 francs in payouts, while livestock farmers have been compensated 4,132,246,571 francs. The total government subsidy extended to support both groups stands at 7,025,436,179.20 francs.
TEKANA is a government program under the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and is implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).
