Agriculture Project in Rwanda

Basic agriculture remains the lifeblood of the Rwanadan way of life, however, access to “ownership” of suitable land, costs of setup, and the infrastructure needed to maintain a viable and sustainable operating model, are beyond the reach of many of the poorest people.

The setup and establishment of an “agricultural co-operative” on the shores of this beautiful lake could help empower many hundreds of people to break the poverty cycle and help build a stronger and healthier community in the region.

How you can help

So far $16,000 (US) has been invested in the project to purchase 3 hectares of land. We are seeking additional funding support to enable us to:

* set out up to 20 “individual allotments” available for use
* build central facilities for shelter and storage
* establish a bore and watering system
* establish a microfinance pool to support locals starting their own business venture
* establish a community service to transport produce to market

Project Background

The plan is to utilise the land to establish an “agricultural co-operative” – an area that enables a number of individually financed, micro-projects to operate together. This will mean that expensive infrastructure setup costs ( such as pumps, irrigation, sheds, and market transport ) – which would normally exclude many participants – can be provided upfront to ensure the best chance of sustainability and viability for the individual participants.

Each plot would be run seperately, though sharing of knowledge and resources would be encouraged, as well as the coordinated planning for seasonal use of the land. While individual participants would have a degree of autonomy to provide for their own subsistence, the overall plan would be for a percentage of the crops to be sent to surrounding markets, with the profits coming back to maintain the ongoing running of the Project.

An ambitious future goal for the property could see the establishment of an “eco-resort” on the foreshores of the lake. The location of the property / lake makes it ideally situated to capitalise on opportunities offered in this area.