The assistance will help the farmers build back better
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is delivering urgent agriculture inputs and tools to victims of floods and landslides that were caused by heavy rains in March – April this year.
About 2,900 households – a total of 13 651 vulnerable individuals – in Ngororero, Nyabihu and Gakenke districts whose agricultural land with various crops were destroyed by the floods are receiving packages composed of Iron beans, hybrid maize, fertilizer (DAP & UREA), hoes, shovels, pickaxes and watering cans.
The support is delivered under the UN Central Emergency Response Fund Joint Programme “Provision of Emergency Shelter and Agriculture Support to Communities Affected by Floods and Landslides in Rwanda” implemented by FAO in close collaboration with International organization of Migration (IOM), and Ministry of Emergency Management (MINEMA) and the local administration. IOM delivered shelter to families whose houses were destroyed by the rains.
The households benefiting from the support are under categories 1 and 2, or household composed of other vulnerable people including female and old people, pregnant and lactating women, children and people with disabilities.
“All my crops were covered by landslides from the mountains, there was nothing to salvage. My banana plantation from which the family derived a living was destroyed by the rains. I haven’t planted yet because I didn’t have seeds. With these seeds, I’m going to plant iron beans and hybrid maize to feed my family,” said Christine Mukafaida who has a family of ten members in Rusasa sector, Gakenke district. She grows food for home consumption.
During the event to handover the critical assistance to the people in Gakenke district, the Minister in Charge of Emergency Management (MINEMA), Marie Solange Kayisire, said: “The Government of Rwanda and development partners like the United Nations, have provided recovery assistance to flood victims. We will continue to provide support so that by December all the people have houses”.
The UN Resident Coordinator, Fodé Ndiaye, said: “We hope that the agriculture inputs and tools and shelter provided, will support you to get back better especially in agriculture. This assistance is part of the UN’s goal of leaving no one behind”.
Increasing local community’s awareness of disasters
The farmers who received the agriculture inputs and tools, also received awareness materials on how to prevent and mitigate floods and landslide disasters, and how to grow iron bean and hybrid maize to improve their nutritional status.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Management, increased knowledge of the local people on areas at risk, helps them to understand the natural hazards that they are exposed to and raise their awareness for disaster risk reduction.
Rainfall in April and May this year triggered extensive landslides and floods, affecting the livelihoods, agriculture, housing, infrastructure,, and environment sectors, among others, as access to income generating activities. Most vulnerable areas prone to landslides and floods are in the North namely Nyabihu, Rubavu, and Gakenke and many others. The Northern Province is characterized by a mixture of landscape which triggers the level of vulnerability to floods and landslides.