2023-12-28 12:04:12
New rise in the waters of Lake Tanganyika, overflowing rivers, landslides… Rumonge province is suffering the effects of climate change. The provincial administration is sounding the alarm and calling for synergy to deal with it. Reporting.
The oil palm, a very profitable and dominant plant in Rumonge. He is omnipresent there. Large oil palm plantations line the length of Lake Tanganyika. They offer a green spectacle.
Today, in some corners of this province, it is a thing of the past. Heavy rains and the new rise in the waters of Lake Tanganyika have destroyed hundreds of hectares. Large areas that were once green are currently empty. Oil palm trees withered. Among the farmers, there is despair. “We have already recorded huge losses. Our oil palm trees are flooded and destroyed. All the riparian plantations of the Buzimba River are in the water »lamented Joselyne Nimpagariste, farmer from Gisagara hill, Rumonge commune.
However, she regrets, palm oil is very important to them. She indicates that this plant provides them with palm oil, raw material for the manufacture of soaps, cakes, etc. “We don’t throw anything into this plant. The leaves are transformed into brooms for cleaning, trunks are fuel in briquette-making ovens. She is our dairy cow in our Imbo region.”
Jean Marie Buname, another farmer from Rumonge, finds it difficult to find words to describe his losses. In his field alone, he claims to have lost more than 100 oil palm trees. “Which makes at least a loss of 5 million BIF”, he specifies, noting that 1 hectare of oil palm can easily yield 80 million BIF per year. With these heavy rains, Mr. Buname fears that the situation will get worse.
For his part, Jean Bosco Ntakarutimana, another farmer from Gatete, estimating his losses at 2 million BIF, says: “It’s difficult what we’re going through today. Oil palm was our main source of income. And this is what happens to us. Many of our plantations are flooded, others fall with the banks of the rivers. However, many people invest in this plant. Per year, a single oil palm plant can yield between 70 thousand BIF and 80 thousand BIF. »
The OHP very concerned
Data from the Oil Palm Office (OHP) reveals the severity of the damage. Jean Claude Bigirimana, agronomist technician at this office, indicates that on the Murembwe Haut and Murembwe Bas part, there were 382.5 hectares of oil palm trees before the start of these heavy rains and the first rise in the waters of Lake Tanganyika. . “If we estimate today the flooded part in Murembwe high, it is 229.5 hectares. And in Murembwe Bas, 75 hectares already in water.” In other sectors, he reports that in the Rimbo part where the OHP had given plants to the population, 10.8 hectares are flooded.
In Cabara and Kigwena, 4 hectares are also in water, he laments, adding that in Minago, in the Rugata-Shanga part, 1.9 hectares are in this situation. “In Cugaro-Ngonya, where the OHP had also distributed plants to farmers and supervised the planting, 3.5 hectares are already flooded”he points out.
With these hectares already flooded, Mr. Bigirimana indicates that the losses are enormous for the State and the OHP: “On 1 hectare, the harvest is 15 tonnes of oil palm bunches. And 1kg is sold at 700BIF for the Tenera species. And on 1 hectare, you can find 35 feet of oil palm trees. Which makes a loss of more than 10 million BIF. »
These waters do not spare the areas where oil palm seeds are multiplied. Jean Marie Congera, provincial director of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, indicates that out of 50 hectares intended for this work, 15 hectares are flooded. He gives the example of the Gatakwa marsh.
Other crops and sectors are also affected. Rice, beans, etc. are affected by climate change. “We don’t see what we’re going to support our families with. Because besides the oil palm, even other crops are flooded. Here, we expect low bean production. Even the rice farmers will not have a good production because the fields are flooded and destroyed. Hunger is at our doorstep”Ndiho, a resident of Rumonge.
A phenomenon also which concerns the provincial administration. Abdul Ntiranyibagira, chief of staff of the governor of Rumonge, indicates that it is difficult to give precisely the cultivable area already flooded. “Given the extent of rainfall, we can estimate that 15% of oil palm areas are flooded. But, if the rains continue at this rate, sooner or later, we will reach more than 30% of arable land submerged”he warns.
Homeless people too
The environmentally displaced people of Mutambara once again threatened by the waters.
With these heavy rains, former environmentally displaced people are also worried. “Since October, we have been facing a lot of challenges. Rain is necessary but when it is in excess, following climate change, it becomes a threat”says Christophe Ndayisenga, representative of the displaced people from the village of Mutambara.
He points out that in the event of heavy rain, part of the village is flooded. What worries the occupants because they have nowhere to go: “We really live in fear. We fear for our safety and that of our children, especially when they are at school. We wonder how they will get home if the rain catches them along the way. » He indicates that this water comes from the mountains overlooking Rumonge because there are almost no pipes to Lake Tanganyika.
According to him, 84 families are already directly affected in this site which houses environmentally displaced people from the Mugarama communes, Magara and Rumonge on the hills of Minago, Kizuka, Iteba, Urban Center, Nkayamba and Kanyenkoko. The majority have been in this state of displacement since 2019 with the flow of rising waters in Lake Tanganyika. And they spent more than two years housed in the premises of the trades education center in the town of Rumonge.
“These directly affected families are now forced to take refuge with other displaced people. Their children’s notebooks and other household materials were damaged. They are in despair and need further assistance”, he testifies. It indicates that this village is home to 1,168 people, including children, divided into 185 families.
He asks the State to help them and find another place for their resettlement.
A situation that concerns the provincial administration. Abdul Ntiranyibagira, chief of staff of the governor of Rumonge, points out that the urgency is to save the lives of these displaced people. He specifies that a reception site, Mutambara III, has been identified in Gatete.
However, he adds that the most worrying thing is that other families risk being displaced: “With these rains, our province is suffering. All homes located along Lake Tanganyika, from Muhuta commune to Rumonge in the Kigwena zone, will be flooded within a few days. This is a real case and we are afraid. »
He points out that with these rains, the current of all the rivers which cross Rumonge is strong. “This leads to these floods, these overflows invading crop fields, homes, etc.”
Mr. Ntiranyibagira observes that public infrastructure is affected. He gives the case of the RN3, Gitaza, Magara section: “We are recording landslides that are blocking traffic. Today, this section has become impassable. »
Which also complicates the task for the company SOGEA SATOM which is currently paving this road.
He also mentions the case of the Minago Trades Center which is also threatened, following the various works carried out by SOGEA SATOM.
What to do ?
To save this school, Mr. Ntiranyibagira announces that after a field trip, the conclusion was that SOGEA SATOM undertake work to protect this infrastructure. “The work has already started. However, there is a problem of lack of fuel which risks slowing down the work.”
For his part, Jean Claude Bigirimana, agronomist technician at OHP, indicates that certain actions are underway such as raising awareness among the population to protect rivers. “OHP no longer manages money. In the event of flooding, we give the report to the State. And it’s already done. We are waiting for the response, for actions.” According to him, to save these plantations, it is necessary to drain the rivers towards Lake Tanganyika. “And in fields that are already flooded, water evacuation channels are needed.”
As for Jean Marie Congera, provincial director of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, he recommends the planting of trees such as bamboos along rivers. He also calls for respecting the buffer zone. Because, he explains, with demographic pressure, people are farming right up to the banks of the rivers. “In the event of flooding, the water finds itself directly in the fields, without any obstacle”he concluded.
Par Rénovat Dabashinze (Our)
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