Farmers without irrigation capabilities are adopting short-cycle and climate resilient crops such as sweet potatoes, beans, and cassava, after encountering delayed and minimal rains in some parts Rwanda.
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Maize is usually cultivated on arable land in the country during Agriculture Season A which starts in September.
Season A typically accounts for 70% of the total agricultural produce that feeds the country.
Evariste Tugirinshuti, the president of Rwanda Maize Farmer Cooperatives Federation, said: "Farmers were supposed to finish planting maize seeds by September 30.
\"However, by this time there was no rain in some parts of the country. We started to record rainfall in October but still only 40 per cent of the farmers in some areas got in our observation. Currently no one can plant maize. We are going to try other crops such as sweet potatoes and beans which are short-cycle crops."
He said some farmers are already counting losses since they invested in seeds, fertilizers, and labour, among others.
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The government allocated Rwf54.2 billion for subsidies on mineral fertilisers, and seeds (maize, wheat, and soybean) in the fiscal year 2024/2025, according to Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).
About 65 per cent of the total budget on the farm input subsidies was used during agriculture season A - from September 2024 to February 2025.
"Some farmers planted seeds with fertilizers, and they never germinated due to lack of rains. Some had not yet planted waiting for rain. Smallholder farmers need support in buying alternative seeds. RAB has embarked on distribution of sweet potato vines," Tugirinshuti explained.
Agricultural output in Rwanda was projected to rise by 10% in the 2025 Season A, according to RAB.
However, farmers are worried that if nothing is done, the target could be derailed.
"In Kayonza District, we also faced minimal rains. The government should subsidize the cost of dam sheets to collect rainwater for irrigation," said Andre Nambajimana, a resident in Kayonza District.
Eastern, Southern provinces most affected
"This farming season\'s rainfall has been delayed. That is why farmers delayed planting in some parts of the country especially Eastern and Southern provinces. Maize planting usually has a deadline.\"
Farmers in parts of Western and Northern provinces planted on time. Other parts of Northern Province such as Gicumbi near Nyagatare, Gatsibo and Rulindo also faced delayed rainfall, said Florence Uwamahoro, the Deputy Director General in charge of Agriculture Development.
She explained that the government started distributing sweet potato vines in areas that encountered delayed rainfall.
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"This is because some had planted maize seeds which never germinated. If you plant maize and three weeks elapse without rainfall, it becomes a problem. These must be replaced with sweet potato vines and bean seeds as alternative solutions to ensure food security," she said.
Sweet potatoes cover 5.2% of the total cultivated area in Rwanda.
Uwamahoro urged farmers to be vigilant so as to detect pests such as fall armyworms that might affect maize crops.
Various crops were supposed to be planted on more than 800,000 hectares in the current season. However, RAB said, 5 per cent of the hectares were not planted with the planned crops due to the delayed rains.
This percentage of land that was not planted due to poor rains is being planted with sweet potatoes, cassava and other crops that are resilient to minimal rains.
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"Sweet potatoes and beans are short-cycle crops. Cassava is resilient to drought. We need alternative crops amidst climate change. There are areas which until mid-October had not seen rainfall," Uwamahoro added.
Germain Nkima, a scientist in crop protection, said there is a need for increasing land under irrigation.
Rwanda targets to increase irrigated areas from 71,000 hectares in 2024 to 131,000 hectares in 2029 to cope with climate change effects.
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RAB pledged irrigation pumps for farmers around sources of water in case of devastating dry spells in the current Season A.
Also being considered are pest management techniques and resistant seeds.
"With climate change, pests and diseases attack crops. When maize is still at early stages of growth, the crop can be attacked by fall armyworms. Beans are also attacked by small insects called bean aphids. Fruit trees such as mangoes and avocados are also vulnerable. This threat should be checked this season," he explained.
He said the government has a stock of pesticides to be used in case of devastating pests and diseases.
A new five-year scheme called Rwanda Agricultural Biotechnology Programme set to cost Rwf13 billion is expected to produce cassava, maize, and potato varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases. Rwanda is confronted with an escalating prevalence of the fall armyworm disease and drought affecting maize, brown streak disease in cassava, and late blight in potatoes.
