This study was conducted in Musanze and Bugesera districts of Rwanda .The objective were to estimate the level of technical efficiency in maize production. The study also attempted to determine some socio-economic characteristics which influence technical efficiency in maize production. It used primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected...

Without financial access and sufficient yearly earnings, many farmers also lose up to 50 percent of their annual potential income because they must gain quick access to cash to afford household expenses all year. In the time leading up to harvest, farmers often experience a “hungry season” in which they...

Agricultural policies in Rwanda focus on agricultural intensification and increased market orientation of the smallholder farm sector. Cooperatives are seen as key vehicles in this but little is known about their effectiveness to achieve these goals. In this paper we analyze the impact of cooperative membership on agricultural performance for...

The present edition highlights the significance of the forestry sector to the overall economy and its importance overall in the region’s land use, demonstrating its potential to make a difference in improving (or worsening) an economy’s green credentials. It is an important message about forestry and greenness.

The year 2011 has been proclaimed the International Year of Forests (in brief “Forests 2011”) and it is being celebrated under the theme “Forests for People”. This is truly a remarkable theme. One cannot come close to covering all of it in a single edition of Nature & Faune as...

The document presents a roadmap for developing commercially sustainable quality seed in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. It focuses on directing investments in five key areas along the seed potato value chains. The objectives of this strategic roadmap are to improve productivity, raise incomes of smallholder farmers, enhance food...

The present ability or otherwise of Africa to cope with climate change and improve its agricultural production depends on the environment and natural resources base of the continent, on the impacts of its past and on the nature of its present interactions with the outside world. Africa is a large...

This paper uses the sustainable livelihoods framework to explore the contribution of smallholder production to food security in some sub-Saharan African countries and relates it to the South African case. Noting that many of the world’s hungry are smallholder farmers, it is clear that food insecurity is closely linked to...

The Conference on Ecological Agriculture: Mitigating Climate Change, Providing Food Security and Self-Reliance for Rural Livelihoods in Africa was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 26-28 November 2008. It was organised by the African Union (AU), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development...

In recent years the development of rural enterprises has increasingly attracted attention amongst the development community owing to the broadening of opportunities for the commercialization of smallholder agriculture. Despite this interest, there are several factors that continue to limit the capacity of farmers and rural entrepreneurs to make an effective...

This newsletter exclusively focuses on three countries of the sub-region: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi. We lay open the pages to organizations which have provided us with articles explaining their difficulties, their strategies and the solutions they have found to improve the living conditions of rural...

The eastern Africa region faces serious and worsening problems of food security, decreasing per capita food production and massive poverty. Agriculture in this region is dominated by smallholder farmers. Yield levels on these farms are generally very low for a variety of reasons. One important reason is the declining soil...

This paper provides a micro-level foundation for discussions of land allocation and its relation to income poverty within the smallholder sectors of Eastern and Southern Africa. Results are drawn from nationally-representative household surveys between 1990 and 2000 in five countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Zambia. The paper shows that...

This publication is intended to inform IFAD-supported project management units (PMUs), other donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Eastern and Southern Africa about IFAD’s Gender Strengthening Programme in the region. The programme is currently in the process of identifying challenges faced by projects, emphasizing empirical findings from field diagnostic...

While bush beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris  L.) have long been the protein staple of Rwandan agriculture, improved climbing beans have been introduced within the last 10 years, enabling farmers to intensify, stabilize and better stagger production. Through a 1992-3 nation-wide survey of 1050 households, conducted in both major growing seasons, this study examines...

While bush beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris  L.) have long been the protein staple of Rwandan agriculture, improved climbing beans have been introduced within the last 10 years, enabling farmers to intensify, stabilize and better stagger production. Through a 1992-3 nation-wide survey of 1050 households, conducted in both major growing seasons, this study examines...