KOABIGA farmers to plant 40 hectares of Green beans in season 2021 C

By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

On Tuesday, 25 May 2021, Gasabo based Farmers’ Cooperative, known as KOABIGA, launched the 2021 C Agriculture season in the Nyagisenyi-Rufigiza marshland, specifically in the Kami zone where they will plant 20 hectares of Green beans.

The event was attended by KOABIGA members, officials from at different levels including the head of Rwanda Agriculture Board-Rubirizi station Mr. Sendege Norbert who was accompanied by other officials including official from HoreCo, and other partners whose daily contribution helps KOABIGA Farmers to meet their expected results while at the same time improving the Agricultural practices.

KOABIGA Cooperative already has experience in cultivating various types of vegetables that are sold on the international and domestic markets.

The Cooperative is made of 980 permanent members but employs more than 800 other residents who work in various agricultural activities in the five zones where the Cooperative operates.

In a message delivered at the launch of the 2021 C agriculture season, members of the cooperative were sensitised on how to improve Green beans farming by using improved fertilizers, use of irrigation techniques and contributing to the purchase of irrigation machines, as well as continuing to comply with COVID 19 prevention guidelines.

KOABIGA started as a small cooperative but as the days went by this cooperative has continued to expand in numbers and expand its activities to the level of becoming a coop that is able to export vegetables to the International Market.

Cooperative President Ndagijimana Emmanuel says the current focus is on improving agriculture to close the gap caused by COVID 19 where it has lost its market income as the international and domestic market has been threatened by the effects of COVID 19.

For this agriculture season 2021 C, they are expected to plant 40 hectares of Green beans in total and 123 hectares will be used to grow cabbages, tomatoes, garden eggs, cucumber and other vegetables.

“We are now looking for more partners so that the harvest that we will get will get clients,” Ndagijimana said.

The members of the KOABIGA Cooperative commend the partners who have continued to be involved in their professional farming activities.

The Government of Rwanda is planning to improve the irrigation system in the coming years as the effects of climate change have led to changes in rainfall where it is inconsistent with the agricultural season.

Ndagijimana said: “That is why we are being encouraged to improve the irrigation system. You see, we are cultivating during the dry season and that’s why it requires us to put in the effort so that the sun will not dominate us.”