Potato Farming in Rwanda

Rwanda is a blossoming economy and while tourism is in its early stages, the farming economy is very strong, with potatoes counted among its top produce.

 

In Rwanda there are four kinds of potatoes, the two most popular being Irish red-skinned, and sweet potatoes. In the Musanze area where Bisate is situated, the sweet potatoes grow in the valley, while the Irish potatoes grow higher up.

 

 

 

There is a wonderful system here, where in the early mornings you will see potato sellers on their bicycles, zooming down the hill from the villages to Musanze, loaded with two huge bags of Irish potatoes, and then in the afternoons you will see those same sellers slowly climbing up the hill with bags of the sweet variety . This way they keep all the villagers happy, supplying both kinds of their favorite potatoes.

 

 

You will also see the “milkman” doing his rounds with his bright yellow containers. Almost every family in Rwanda owns a cow thanks to the GIRINKA programme, which is transforming rural livelihoods and addressing poverty alleviation in Rwanda.

 

The model is simple, the impact is great. One cow brings nutrition, sustenance and employment, providing a stable income for a family, and is a source of soil nutrients, via manure, to assist small-scale cropping activity.