Why climate-smart agriculture is important for Burundi's new generation of farmers

Growing up in Burundi, Asterie Ntahonvukiye wanted to be a teacher. But, as fate would have it, she did not get a teaching job after completing her teacher training course. Instead, she took up farming and quickly realized that this path, which was integral to her upbringing, ignited a newfound passion within her.

Initially, Asterie farmed to earn a livelihood and sustain her family. However she soon realized that to earn well from it, she needed to improve her farming skills and not rely on the same methods her parents had. A need heightened by the ever increasing impacts of climate change. 

Asterie now measures the spacing of her crops, micro-doses her fertilizer at the root zone and has adopted techniques – from contouring to composting – to help her adapt to the ever-changing climate. 

Younger farmers like Asterie are inheriting the mantle of farming from their parents at a time when the impacts of climate change are accelerating. It is therefore crucial for them to acquire climate-smart farming skills to ensure that they are still able to harvest well and support their families. 

How climate change is impacting Burundi 

Burundi’s majestic – but steep – hillsides are much more than an extraordinary landscape; they are home to more than 90 percent of Burundi’s rural population, who, like Asterie, rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. But this beautiful landscape is threatened by overuse and degradation, aggravated by climate change. 

Torrential rains and intense storms which cause flooding and landslides are becoming much more frequent, and mean temperatures are getting hotter [Source: UNEP].  These increasing episodes of extreme wet weather, coupled with protracted dry seasons are pushing the country’s farmers to the edge, with harvests being negatively impacted.   

For example, topsoil, which contains most of the nutrients that plants need to survive, is being washed away by the intense rains at a rapid rate, and the extreme dry seasons are increasing soil erosion. A 2017 Country Environmental Analysis found that the country loses 1.6% of its GDP annually to land degradation and 5.2% of its land area has been lost to soil degradation since 2020 [Source: World Bank]. 

For a country that releases fewer greenhouse gas emissions per capita than almost any other country [Source: World Bank], it bears a disproportionately heavy burden from the climate crisis [Source: World Bank].

How we’re building the climate resilience of Burundi’s farmers 

To help farmers build their climate resilience, One Acre Fund provides farmers with climate-smart farming supplies –like hybrid seeds–on credit as well as training on modern agricultural techniques. 

Hybrid seeds provide crops with enhanced resistance to extreme weather conditions, pests, and diseases, helping to ensure more stable harvests despite changing climate conditions. Interventions like this, coupled with tailored planting training specific to each farmers’ unique environment, help farmers like Asterie to continue to improve their harvests and increase their income despite the challenges climate change poses. 

Contour lines and planting trees are other sustainable and effective techniques we train farmers on to help them build their climate resilience. Both are particularly effective in Burundi’s hilly terrain as they help to combat soil erosion. By drawing contour lines which follow the natural contours of the land, farmers can protect their farmland from flooding, landslides and erosion as water run-off is directed along these contours, thus effectively managing water absorption. By combining contour lines and tree planting, farmers can significantly reduce topsoil loss as well as regulate water flow, reducing the risk of landslides.

Composting is another climate-smart practice we incorporate into our training. Good compost – made by recycling organic matter, such as leaves and livestock waste – helps restore soil nutrients and also helps mitigate the impact of droughts by helping retain soil moisture.

“There is a noticeable difference between fields where compost is used and where it is not,” Asterie says. “The crops grown with compost grow well and produce larger maize. Now, I harvest up to one tonne of maize. I have enough food for my family and a surplus to sell. With the additional income, I can purchase food items we do not grow at home, such as meat and additional vegetables. As a result, my children are strong and well nourished.”

Inter-generational impact

Increased land productivity translates into higher incomes, better living conditions, and improved financial planning for farmers. For Asterie, the extra income she gets from selling her surplus harvest allows her to reinvest in her farming.

Asterie has had such success with climate-smart farming that she has become the leader of her local farmer group. Group leaders work closely with our field officers to mobilize farmers, help them adopt climate-smart farming techniques like contouring and composting, and encourage them to repay their loans on time. 

As a group leader, Asterie encourages the exchange of knowledge, resources, and experiences; she recognises that communities can fortify their collective resilience against climate change, thereby securing the sustainability of agricultural livelihoods for generations to come.

“As agriculture develops in the country, life will become easier for families because they will no longer worry about having enough to eat. With successful farming practices, it becomes easier to have improved harvests and enough food for families. When a family has enough to eat, peace prevails,” Asterie says.

In 2023, One Acre Fund and the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation partnered to reach 20,000 farmers like Asterie by 2026, with the aim of empowering them to increase their incomes and build climate resilience.