The Challenges of Mechanized Farming in Rwanda’s Mountainous Terrain
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), mechanized agriculture is difficult in Rwanda because most of the cultivated areas are mountainous.
Increasing the cultivated area and managing it properly and on time is part of what the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources says will increase the production of food from agriculture.
However, the ministry points out that the use of agricultural machinery is similar to that of farmers on open land.
MPs in the parliament of Rwanda consider it a problem because large cultivated land is located in the mountains, and they ask that bulls be used that can be trained to graze these mountains.
This is an issue that the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources does not consider as an option to help farmers in the mountains. However, they can consider what would help the farmers.
The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Ildephonse MUSAFIRI, says that this method of using bulls can’t be considered as an option for farmers in the mountains.
He said, “Instead of going to the bulls, we should increase the machines and see how we can get cheap machines. At least people will get used to using the machines instead of going to the bulls, and then they will do their normal work. There is only one strategy that works; that’s what we’ve heard, but the trick is to see what would help us.”
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, arable land has decreased by 10% in the last 10 years, so more efforts are needed to increase the available land to produce the necessary production.
