Residents from various sectors of Nyamasheke District in Rwanda’s Western Province say they are hopeful about restoring their income from banana farming, which had once been their primary source of revenue.

This renewed optimism follows the construction of modern greenhouses for banana seed multiplication in Bushekeri and Karengera sectors. The initiative is funded through the Pro-Poor Development Basket Fund (PPD-BF), implemented by the Local Administrative Entities Development Agency (LODA).

The Basket Fund receives support from the Government of Germany through KfW Development Bank, from The Government of France throughthe French Development Agency (AFD), and from The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg through the Luxembourg Development Cooperation (LuxDev).

Since the beginning of this week, LODA and partners, including representatives of KfW, AFD, and LuxDev, started a field mission to visit development projects funded by the Pro-Poor Development Basket Fund in the Districts of Nyamasheke, Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru, and Nyanza.

While visiting projects in Nyamasheke District, the delegation toured the banana seed multiplication project and held discussions with residents who were previously engaged in banana farming.

These residents explained that in the past, bananas were the main source of income in the district, but plantations were destroyed by a disease known as ‘Kirabiranya’. They said they are now confident that banana farming will once again bring income, as the new seedlings being produced in the greenhouses are resistant to diseases.

Cecile Musabe, a resident of Nyanza Village, Nyarusange Cell, Bushekeri Sector, explained that this sector was once the most productive in bananas across the district, even supplying other provinces, including the City of Kigali.

She said: “We are happy and confident that we are going to restore prosperity in Bushekeri Sector. Just as we used to supply bananas to other provinces and to Kigali, we will once again earn income from bananas”.

The Director General of LODA, Claudine Nyinawagaga, stated that the goal of such projects is to ensure that rural residents can practice agriculture that yields results and helps them improve their livelihoods. She called on residents benefiting from these projects to take good care of them and make full use of the opportunities provided.

“First and foremost, we ask them to manage these projects well, so that they serve their intended purpose and deliver quality services. Proper management prevents them from wearing out quickly, allowing them to last longer, and enabling funds to be used elsewhere to bring similar services to areas that have not yet benefited” She emphasized. 

Apart from banana seed multiplication, the delegation in Nyamasheke District also visited education projects, where 29 new classrooms have been built across Nyamasheke District. They also visited the rehabilitation works at Mwezi Health Center in Karengera Sector, where some buildings were old, with some dating back to the 1950s.

The Pro-Poor Basket Fund partners commended the quality of the projects and appreciated that residents are directly involved in choosing the projects implemented in their communities.