Burera: Farmers seek support for Gitovu marshland improvement
Farmers cultivating crops in the Gitovu marshland, located in Burera District, are requesting intervention to improve the area to enable irrigation during the dry season.
The Gitovu marshland, situated in Gitovu Sector, has been allocated to the Duhingire Gukira Cooperative, which primarily grows potatoes and maize.
Members of this cooperative highlight that the lack of proper marshland management prevents water from being adequately distributed, limiting their ability to farm during the dry season.
Speaking to our source RBA, these farmers urged authorities to support efforts to manage the marshland efficiently, suggesting that controlling water flow to prevent it from draining into nearby lakes would allow year-round farming.
As part of their appeal, they also requested expert assistance in marshland management to facilitate irrigation during dry spells.
Gitovu Sector Executive Secretary, Vénant Ngendahayo, confirmed plans to advocate for the farmers’ needs at the relevant levels and encouraged them to combat soil erosion on surrounding hills.
The Gitovu marshland spans 10 hectares and supports 179 farmers from the Gitovu and Rugengabare sectors.