Beatrice (right), a Congolese refugee and Ancilla, a Rwandan, farm side by side in Mushishito Marshland, cementing their friendship. Photo : UNHCR
Back home in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tumaine Ntamashakiro used to make a living through small-scale farming. However, in 2012, life took an unexpected turn when he found himself seeking refuge in Rwanda along with his wife and children due to violence, leaving behind their home and land.
Upon arriving in Kigeme camp, located in the southern part of Rwanda, Tumaine felt immense relief as he realized they were safe from the insecurity plaguing their native home.
But life was far from being ideal. In the camp, they fully depended on humanitarian assistance which kept them idle for years. Initially, he explains, they received dried maize and porridge, which later switched to cash assistance.
About a decade later, Tumaine was able to resume his occupation as a farmer as the Government of Rwanda through Nyamagabe District allocated an underdeveloped marshland to refugees and Rwandans living in and around Kigeme refugee camp.
As a result, the Mushishito marshland was born. Tumaine has now been growing staple crops including maize in the marshland over the last three farming seasons.
“When I farm here in the marshland, we get food, and my children get happy,” says the 43-year-old Congolese refugee. “We now grow what we used to buy.”
Tumaine is one of over 1500 smallholder farmers, including 500 refugee farmers, growing their crops in Mushishito marshland to make a living from agricultural production. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been able to develop the marshland to become a productive farming environment, thanks to funding from the Government of Denmark over the last three years.
Through this farming project, both Rwandan and refugee farmers formed a joint farming cooperative, they get fertilizers, improved seeds, advisory services, climate-smart agricultural trainings, irrigation infrastructure, post-harvest facilities, crop insurance, and other agricultural inputs which, the farmers testify, has increased their yields. The increased produce has made it possible for the farmers to get a portion for home consumption and a surplus for sale.
Tumaine and his family can testify about the positive impact of the marshland. Last season, for instance, he sold 73 kilograms of maize for 32,000 Rwf as well as keeping 26 kilograms for his family’s own needs. In addition to this income, he took a loan from a savings group, which he wisely invested in a sewing machine for his skilled wife to start the tailoring business with the aim of diversifying the family income sources. The investment paid off, and they were able to repay the loan, and he now aims to expand their tailoring business.
“You understand how I made a positive change,” he points out. “My goal for the future– I wish to invest in another project like I did last season.”
This project stemmed from a pledge that the Government of Rwanda made at the Global Refugee Forum in 2019. As part of the pledge, the government committed itself to promote joint agriculture projects between refugees and host communities to create jobs, increase agricultural production paving a way to self-reliance.
Mushishito farming project has brought the refugee and Rwandan communities closer together and has led to increased peaceful coexistence in the area.
According to Donat Sindikubwabo, a Rwandan farmer, the fruits from bringing local and refugee farmers together in the marshland went beyond farming. It enabled them to form a strong bond of friendship and brotherhood.
“We work together with our brothers from the camp. They came and we started farming together, we utilize the marshland together, we socialize, we visit each other, and we became like brothers,” Donat explains.
Like Donat, Tumaine also observes that the warm welcome from their Rwandan hosts further cemented their hope for a better future, easing their sense of isolation. [Source : UNHCR Rwanda]. (End)