Rwanda's Huye District, The Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project (SAIP) is transforming the lives of farmers throughout the country by providing them with tools, training, and access to markets so they can develop their smallholder agribusinesses into sustainable commercial enterprises.
One example of this is HAVUGARUREMA Darius, a young agribusiness entrepreneur in Huye Sector producing avocado, peanut, and passion fruit on over five and a half hectares, combining traditional knowledge with new techniques learned through SAIP.
According to him, ‘The potential of farming as a profession is endless.’ Agriculture can be a very profitable practice, if there is cooperation between the practitioner and the right institution.
Support from SAIP has included: Professional training in agriculture and small-scale irrigation, Access to quality seed, Market linkages.
Darius's success story began with a key turning point for his farm. SAIP provided him with a matching grant that allowed him to install a modern irrigation system and dam sheet. The total cost of the irrigation system was 38,580,000 Rwandan Francs. “Of the total cost, 19,290,000 Rwandan Francs (50%) was funded by SAIP, while the remaining 19,290,000 Rwandan Francs (50%) was contributed by Darius himself.” The co-financing from both Darius and SAIP demonstrated that this was a co-investment, which led to increased levels of commitment, productivity, and sustainability.
Darius benefited greatly from the seedling support he received from SAIP in both phases 1 and 2 of the program. In Phase I, Darius received:2,000 tamarillo seedlings,1,800 passion fruit seedlings,800 avocado seedlings
In Phase II, Darius received:1,800 tamarillo seedlings,1,200 passion fruit seedlings,500 avocado seedlings
The addition of seedlings helped Darius to increase both his production capacity and crop diversity, allowing him to earn more than 6 million Rwandan Francs each planting season. In addition to his crop production, Darius has reinvested some of the profits of his crops into livestock and beekeeping. He has over 150 rabbits and 600 beehives located in the Nyungwe Forest.
In Darius's view, partnerships in agriculture are vital: “Being supported by SAIP and RAB has not only given me the skills and technology to run my farm professionally, but also the confidence to do so. This has greatly improved my family’s quality of life.”
This success story shows an important lesson: when operating a farm as a business, it is possible to have multiple streams of income with long-term financial stability.
Darius thanks the Rwanda Government and Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) for their commitment to SAIP. He hopes that the extension of the programme will allow even more farmers to receive professional training, receive access to cutting-edge technology and access to reliable markets.
SAIP is not just an agricultural programme for Darius and many other farmers; it is a means of creating agribusiness leaders and changing the economies of rural areas throughout Rwanda.
