A Journey Towards Sustainable Farming

Nzabandora Jean Damascene, a 53-year-old father of seven from Jyambere Muhinzi Kinoni Cooperative in Burera District, Northern Rwanda, has a remarkable journey in farming. He started farming at the age of 23, worked hard but often struggled, like many farmers in his village. "We thought we knew what we were doing," Jean Damascene recalls, "We believed that using more fertilizers and pesticides would bring us bigger harvests." But year after year, he found himself investing more than he was earning, battling poor yields and rising costs. 

In 2018, Jean Damascene joined the cooperative, hoping that collaboration would help improve his farming activities. 2023 marked a turning point in his farming practices after receiving training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) through Acting Now Project. Jean Damascene reflects on the contrast between his previous methods and the new techniques he adopted after receiving training from Agriterra. Before, he and his fellow farmers would use excessive amounts of fertilizers and pesticides, believing it would boost their harvests. However, this led to over-investment with minimal returns. Basic practices like spacing and mulching were neglected.


Nzabandora applies mulching on his potato farm to conserve soil moisture, improve soil health, and promote sustainable crop growth

Through Agriterra’s trainings, Jean Damascene was introduced to modern agricultural practices he had never considered before. "We learned about Integrated Pest Management (IPM), proper spacing, mulching, crop rotation, how to choose the right seeds, and post harvest handling," he says. No longer relying on outdated methods, he stopped planting seeds from unreliable sources and started using certified seeds from known providers. This simple change led to healthier crops and bigger harvests. His yield has increased significantly, from 8 tons per hectare to an impressive 25 tons per hectare. His farm stands out compared to neighbouring fields due to adoption of these good agricultural practices.
   

Nzabandora's simple storage facility for potatoes, to reduce post-harvest losses.

As a lead farmer within his cooperative, Jean Damascene has trained 30 other farmers on modern farming techniques and plans to continue sharing his knowledge. He also built two simple storage facilities at his home, one for seeds and another for ware potatoes enabling him to store crops properly and sell them when market prices are favourable. In previous years, poor storage led to spoilage, but with improved post-harvest handling, he can now store his produce longer and profit more.

Beyond farming, these changes have transformed his family’s livelihood. He now provides health insurance for all his family members, pays school fees for his children, and has expanded his farm from 1 hectare to 3 hectares. Jean Damascene emphasises how Agriterra has opened his eyes to the potential and profitability of modern agriculture, and he is eager to continue learning and growing as a farmer.

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