For many smallholder farmer in Rwanda’s Rusizi district , the dry season once meant empty fields,reduced incomes and months of waiting for the rains to returns. But some farming cooperatives are now trying a different approach using irrigation ,growing higher value crops and exploring new agricultural businesses to keep their farms productivity through the year.
Jacqueline Uwamahoro, a member of the Dutezimbere Ubuhinzi Kwishara (KODSHARA) cooperative, remembers what it was like before.
“We couldn’t farm during the dry season because we lacked irrigation equipment and the necessary knowledge,” she told the ecoagrimedia while attending the Rwanda Agricultural Show 2026 in Kigali. “Being idle for almost a third of the year affected our household finances.”
KODSHARA, founded in 2015, has 84 members, including 36 men and 48 women. Previously, its members mainly grew maize and beans, but faced challenges from climate change and inadequate irrigation facilities.
Through support from the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project (SAIP II), the cooperative received small-scale irrigation equipment and training in the cultivation of marketable crops.
Today, KODSHARA members grow tomatoes and peppers in the dry season, and have also started cultivating mangoes on three hectares.
To reduce the cost of inputs, they have also started producing compost, which helps increase soil fertility and reduce the cost of external fertilizers.
Jacqueline says the changes have helped them find new business opportunities.
“We have now learned that the dry season can also be a time to work and produce if you have the tools and knowledge,” he said.
KODSHARA is not the only one changing its approach.
In the northern Rusizi District, Abunze Ubumwe Nyakabuye (KOANYA) cooperative is also focusing on other ways to increase farmers’ profits.
Its president, Maurice Nzeyimana, says the cooperative produces fruit tree seedlings through its nursery, and also provides fertilizer to farmers.
He says that participating in the Rwanda Agricultural Show 2026 has given them the opportunity to meet other farmers, learn about new ways of farming and find new markets.
He said: “The exhibition helps us learn from others, expand our collaboration and showcase our achievements.”
As smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa face the impacts of climate change, cooperatives in Rusizi are experimenting with new ways to cope with changing weather.
For farmers like Jacqueline and Maurice, diversifying their farming operations is not just about increasing their output, but also about becoming more resilient in times of uncertainty.
Jean Bernard MUKUNDENTE