In Murundi Sector, Karongi District, the 2026 A agricultural season was officially launched with the aim of expanding potato cultivation as a key crop for improving the livelihoods of residents and boosting the local economy.
The Mayor of Karongi District urged farmers to take good care of their land and to register for the agricultural subsidy program in order to access lime for improving poor soils that are not yielding adequately. He said:
“We want Murundi Sector to become the food basket of our district. To achieve this, you must cultivate all your plots and take care of your land to increase production. We want to see trucks coming from across the country to collect your harvests and deliver them to markets. This road that is about to be constructed should not only be used by vehicles carrying sand, stones, and bricks, but also by many trucks transporting your produce.”
He also encouraged farmers to better manage their banana plantations to achieve higher yields, saying:
“It is disappointing to see a man carrying only four small banana bunches when at least he should be harvesting a single bunch weighing more than 100 kilograms.”
Karongi District has set a target of expanding potato cultivation to 2,139 hectares during the current fiscal year, with 1,184 hectares already planned for the 2026 A season.
Following sensitization efforts, farmers in the district have so far mobilized more than Rwf 51 million to support potato farming, surpassing the initial target of Rwf 43 million. Residents of Murundi Sector, where the season was launched, contributed over Rwf 3.5 million.
Joseph Niyonzima, a farmer from Murundi, expressed optimism about the benefits of the initiative:
“Our soils had become infertile, keeping us in endless poverty. But after being encouraged to take good care of the land and make it productive, we believe we will now harvest abundantly and even have surplus for the markets. It is our first time planting potatoes, but we have been told they give high yields. This will help us secure food for our families and also sell to the market, even enjoying chips like other well-off people.”
Under the National Strategy for Transformation (NST 2), the Government of Rwanda has set a target of increasing the national economy by 9.3% annually. To achieve this, agricultural productivity is expected to grow by 6% annually, with total agricultural output projected to rise by 50%, enabling Rwanda to achieve food self-sufficiency and supply surplus to markets.
At the launch of the season in Murundi Sector on Friday, September 26, 2025, two tons of potato seeds were planted per hectare.
By Gashonga Jean Claude
