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Securing the Harvest for the Smallholder Farmer in Rwanda: Fragmented or Consolidated Farmland Use?

Author

Listed:
  • Uwacu Alban Singirankabo

    (Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands
    Department of Geography and Urban Planning, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, Kigali 3900, Rwanda)

  • Maurits Willem Ertsen

    (Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands)

  • Nick van de Giesen

    (Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands)

Abstract

The year 2007 marked the beginning of a journey to secure food in Rwanda. The country introduced the Crop Intensification Program (CIP), which promotes the farmland use consolidation (LUC). This study assesses the effect of farmland use changes on the agriculture production. We collected data at four research sites and considered three agriculture years to assess the effect of the fragmented or consolidated farmland use on the harvest. The study confirms that the CIP/LUC program converted perennial crops, mainly banana plantations, into seasonal crops, which were prioritized by the program. Overall, we conclude that the shift in farmland use has created an increase in both the harvest and monetary yields of the prioritized crops. However, within that general trend, we observe differences: farmers with smaller and/or fewer farm plots did not realize as great a yield increase as those who joined the CIP/LUC program with larger and/or multiple farm plots. While contributing to an understanding of the ongoing agriculture transformation program in Rwanda, this study followed a statistical approach that could be used by new studies assessing the benefits and outcomes of development policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Uwacu Alban Singirankabo & Maurits Willem Ertsen & Nick van de Giesen, 2022. "Securing the Harvest for the Smallholder Farmer in Rwanda: Fragmented or Consolidated Farmland Use?," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:11:p:2023-:d:970500
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Uwacu Alban Singirankabo & Maurits Willem Ertsen, 2020. "Relations between Land Tenure Security and Agricultural Productivity: Exploring the Effect of Land Registration," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-18, May.
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    7. Singirankabo, Uwacu Alban & Ertsen, Maurits Willem & van de Giesen, Nick, 2022. "The relations between farmers’ land tenure security and agriculture production. An assessment in the perspective of smallholder farmers in Rwanda," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
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