Rwanda’s MPs in the Lower House started Nationwide Assessment on progress of the Agricultural Outreach season
By Abdul Rahman Bangura-
NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS (NABN) Freetown, Sierra Leone- The season commenced in September of 2024 and runs through February 2025. It is the primary netizen outreach tour the MPs in the newly elected fifth legislature have undertaken since they took the oath of office on August 14th, 2024.
The Chamber of Deputies’ field visits begun on October 24th and will finish off on October 26th. Mainly is to assess the implementation of the government programme in the agriculture sector in all provinces and the City of Kigali.
Virtually, the present farming season has been characterized by in efficient rainfall, which has navigated the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) to tell growers to grow crops such as sweet potatoes that are drought-tolerant crops, instead of susceptible crops such as maize.
Members of Parliament will same join the citizens in the community work (Umuganda) of October.
The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies -Gertrude Kazarwa, noted, “Members of the fifth term of the Chamber of Deputies will engage with the communities to assess their areas of concern in order for them to be addressed by relevant institutions.”
The MPs will visit selected agrarian and livestock projects in some sectors in all provinces and the City of Kigali.
In addendum, local leaders will update the lawmakers on the progress made in addressing the citizens’ queries identified by the fourth legislature or the proceeding ones] in the previous field visits.
Agriculture activities to be visited include those carried out by cooperatives or farmers who practice land consolidation, or do farming on marshlands.
Others are erosion control measures in line with preparing for the new agriculture season and issues regarding agricultural inputs (seeds and fertilizers) selling points.
Lawmakers will same bring information on how agricultural or farm inputs subsidized by the government reach farmers, amongst others.
The legislators will visit places for making compost (organic fertilizer), steering to understand the challenges regarding its production. They will visit nurseries for agro-forestry tree seedlings, coffee seedlings, among others, and assess how they are supplied to growers, amongst others.
For New Africa Business News (NABN) Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports, Africa Correspondent