Abajyana n’Igihe Cooperative transforming farming and livelihoods of formerly smallholder farmers in Muko Sector

By Ernest Nyetera and George Kalisa

Traditional agricultural systems such as subsistence farming, lack of cooperation and rocky terrain punctuated by low lands prune to seasonal floods are among the deleterious factors that were largely blamed for chronic poor harvests in many parts in the Northern Province of Rwanda.

The smallholder farmers of Muko Sector in Musanze District are some of the farmers in this region known to be the food basket of the East African country that had for decades been trapped in biting poverty due to low productivity of land and low incomes blamed on environmental obstacles and systemic problems in the Agriculture sector before various interventions by the Government of Rwanda (GoR) and stakeholders paid off.

Morever the smallholder farmers in this area hail from different social backgrounds, which had earlier ostensibly posed a big threat to the success of farmers’ cooperative in the area. Some are civilians while others are ex-combatants from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Armed Forces of Rwanda (FAR) and Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) reintegrated into the Rwandan society after disarming and demobilizing them.

Formed in 1997, Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission (RDRC) to address the crisis created mostly ex-combatants from subversive groups, with bases in the DRC jungles, the commission under its mandate carries out induction along providing economic support to the ex-combatants before they are reintegrated.  

Despite unequivocal obstacles in Muko Sector alluded to above, 15 ex-combatants from FDLR, RDF and ex-FAR chose to sweep their differences under the carpet and joined 13 civilians in 2010 to midwife a farmers’ cooperative codenamed Abajyana N’Igihe. Information obtainable from RDRC indicates that this cooperative is one of over100 cooperatives for ex-combatants country-wide.

Since that time many smallholders have been joining the cooperative to make the most of the benefits of farming together. Cooperative members become more bankable, and hence gain more access to credit from financial institutions with which they purchase farm tools such as fertilizers and improved seeds.

Fidele Wibabara, a Rtd Corporal of the FDLR and the President of Abajyana n’Igihe said during a meeting with The Light Magazine held on October 28, 2021 at the headquarters of the cooperative that the benefits that accrue to the members have attracted more smallholder farmers to the cooperative.

“Currently, membership has reached 118,” observed Wibabara.

The cooperative that is apparently the best performing in the Northern Province is headquartered at Kabere Village, Cyogo Cell in Muko Sector.

Testimonies by the members of this cooperative, mostly former smallholder farmers in the area, speak volumes of how forming rural farmers’ cooperatives can lead to viable solutions to the traditional problems that usually confine rural farmers to low productivity, low incomes and subsequently poverty and poor living standards.  

“Before I joined Abajyana n’Igihe Cooperative I did my best on the farm and in spite of the hard work, the harvest would reduce every season and I could barely meet the basic of life neither would I manage to pay for my children’s education,” said Mukashefu Thacienne, a Committee member of the cooperative.

“The cooperative provides free agronomists that train us on commercial modern farming, how to prepare demonstration farms and the importance of planting improved seeds,” said Mukashefu.

Mukashefu said they grow mainly maize and beans today.

However, the early years of the cooperative, they made big fortune from growing tamarillo [the edible plum-like fruit of a tree] and tomatoes

Fidele Wibabara, a Rtd Corporal of the FDLR militias based in the jungles of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the President of the Abajyana N’Igihe Cooperative says the Cooperative faced several challenges in its infancy, which included lack of mutual trust and technical knowledge that are requisites to the formation of a progressive cooperative be it for farmers or other workers subscribing to other fields were apparently lacking due to the fact that members came from different social backgrounds.

But, there is growing fear that a series of recurrent challenges traced to the drainage system and topography of the area may reverse the achievement of the cooperative.   

Muko Sector is located about 10Kms away from the Musanze-Rubavu highway, in the rugged volcanic mountains that are punctuated by low lands that host dozens of streams including Mutobo, Mbizi, Nyabesaza and Mararo. The road to the headquarters of Abajyana N’Igihe is not yet smoothed and the cooperative members say it is still an obstacle to access the markets while recurrent floods especially during the rainy seasons pose a major impediment that cause a huge loss to the cooperative every year.

Wibabara said the heavy rains received this season prompted rivers Mbizi, Nyabesaza and Mararo to flood leading to the destruction of about 10 hectares of maize crop, which accounts to a huge loss to the cooperative and they are currently looking everywhere to get a loan.