Irish Potato Intercropping - Rwanda (2016)
In 2016A, One Acre Fund conducted a trial of Kinigi potatoes in non-traditional areas, both monocropped and
intercropped with maize, in order to test yields and farmer opinions of the variety in those areas and to determine if
it would be more profitable to promote potatoes in monocropped or intercropped systems. This report shares the results of testing the general level of production and farmer interest in Kinigi variety potatoes in the East and Lake Kivu zones of Rwanda where potatoes are less commonly grown but there is interest among farmers to begin
cultivation. Additionally the results of measuring the relative production and profitability of potatoes when compared to maize in these non-traditional areas, as well as the relative profitability of intercropping maize with potatoes compared to the more common practice of intercropping maize with beans.
Why tree planting on farms is a win for farmers and nature
Discover how agroforestry - the practice of planting trees among crops - offers smallholder farmers like Baraka, Dunstan and Claudine a variety of benefits.
The power of women smallholder farmers
Investing in women smallholder farmers like Jeanne D'Arc Mbanira is critical to significantly increasing agricultural productivity, food security, and household prosperity.
Claudine Ayinkamiye: Farmer, tree entrepreneur, climate adapter
In just the first season farming with One Acre Fund, Claudine Ayinkamiye, a 30-year-old farmer from Rwanda, managed to produce 900 kilos of potatoes and maize. Thanks to this surplus, she was able to invest in different crops and trees, making her better equipped to withstand erratic weather due to climate change.
A field officer’s mission: Planting the seeds of climate resilience within her community
Fifty-two-year-old One Acre Fund field officer Alphonsine Nyiransabimana dreams of a thriving agricultural industry in Rwanda, where farmers can earn a decent living. She is working to fulfill this mission by helping farmers in her local community access credit and quality seeds so that they can increase their harvests and adapt to extreme weather caused by the climate crisis.
