An immense joy for vulnerable households in Mutimbuzi commune, in Bujumbura province. On March 7, the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) granted bean seed support for the 2024B growing season to vulnerable households affected by the harmful effects linked to climate change in the said region. locality. In his word of thanks, the governor of Bujumbura province called for regular and joint monitoring of these seeds received.
Joséphine Habonimana, aged 70, is one of the 1,678 vulnerable households benefiting from this bean seed support. Widowed and living with her grandchildren, she testified that this assistance came at the right time. “We had difficulty feeding our children because we had no seeds”she said.
Various executives from the FAO office in Burundi including the Representative of this United Nations agency in Burundi, the Governor of the Bujumbura province as well as executives from the Provincial Office of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock (BPEAE ) had also taken part in the distribution activities of these seeds.
This activity of distributing these bean seeds contributes to the achievement of FAO’s objectives, because it will strengthen the resilience of farmers in the face of the harmful effects of climate change through an increase in agricultural production.
“Now we will sow and have a good harvest, part of which will be used in cooking and part as seed”, continued Joséphine Habonimana. She also hopes to see a good harvest thanks to the fertilizer which was also distributed by the FAO.
Michel Nzohuwumpa, originally from the Tenga zone, is delighted in advance with the promising results expected on production. “Before, we had difficulty obtaining fertilizer and seeds and this caused poor production”, he revealed. But with this support in seeds, this septuagenarian hopes that the harvest will be better.
“This support is very useful because after the harvest we will also have food and seeds”, said Caritas Nyandwi. Despite the smallness of her field, she is committed to making good use of the seeds received.
Note that this support comes the day after growing season B. More than 25 tonnes of seeds will be distributed in the Mutimbuzi commune. And more than 104 tons of fertilizer had already been distributed in the same municipality.
The administration undertakes to carry out joint monitoring
The Governor of Bujumbura province, Désiré Nsengiyumva, welcomed FAO’s support for the communities in his province.
Interventions, according to him, which will have a positive impact on the living conditions of beneficiary households as well as on production.
“We were used to receiving consumable aid directly, but these seeds will motivate people to practice agriculture once again and increase their production”he clarified.
In addition, the Governor of Bujumbura province said he appreciated the collaboration of FAO and the administration in the identification of beneficiaries, with particular emphasis on vulnerable households, victims of floods and landslides. He further underlined that FAO intervenes in 7 out of 9 communes in the province.
The Governor of Bujumbura therefore called on households benefiting from these bean seeds to make good use of them. He subsequently warned any beneficiary who will resell the seeds received. “We therefore ask the FAO and the administration to follow up even if necessary to make a mid-term evaluation and see if the expected results are achieved”concluded the governor of Bujumbura province.
The provincial agriculture office says that this seed support is added value for the province. “We welcome this project because it will contribute to increasing production”, confided Daniel Mazarahisha, Director of BPEAE Bujumbura. He also revealed that these same beneficiaries were not able to join the national fertilizer subsidy program, hence its added value.
Hence the commitment of the management of the provincial Agriculture office from the zones to the municipal level to supervise these beneficiary households. The Director also stressed that among the methods that will be popularized will be staking for beans and the use of drainage to deal with erosion.
More than 9 thousand vulnerable households will be assisted in the commune of Mutimbuzi
Since February 2024, the FAO office has been on a fertilizer and seed distribution campaign in 6 provinces of the country: Bubanza, Bujumbura, Kirundo, Rumonge, Cibitoke and Ngozi. More than 3,000 tons of fertilizer have already been distributed and 750 tons of bean seeds will be delivered to these same provinces.
It is with its aim of strengthening the resilience of agro-pastoralists in the face of climate change that the FAO is carrying out all these distributions. “Today’s intervention is part of an action that has already started since February with the distribution of fertilizers, today we are completing with the distribution of seeds”said Pissang Tchangai Dadémanao, FAO Representative in Burundi.
He mentioned that 143 tonnes of bean seeds will be distributed to 9,654 households spread across the 7 intervention communes in the province of Bujumbura.
The FAO representative specified that this support helps vulnerable households to recover beyond the shock period and to be able to cover the period of possible shocks that may occur. “It’s about teaching them to produce and have something to eat. That future harvests should not only be used to eat, but to be able to resist, to put a part aside and buy seeds.”
In addition to fertilizers and bean seeds, the FAO Office in Burundi promises to intervene even during the next season with corn and rice inputs.
Funded by the World Bank, this project aims to strengthen the resilience of 50,000 vulnerable households affected by the harmful effects of climate change. An initiative implemented with the World Food Program office in Burundi responsible for monetary transfers to beneficiaries.
By the Editorial Staff (Iwacu)
2024-03-18 09:49:53