Socio economic and environmental impact assessment of the Coffee Intensification project for poverty reduction in Gasaka sector of Nyamagabe District

Abstract

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa with a population of 10,185,435 in 2009 on area of 26,338 Km2 . Agriculture sector provides livelihood for 87% of the population in the country and contributes to (40-43% ) of the gross domestic production (GDP). This leads to an over exploitation of natural resources causing the decline in soil fertility, land scarcity due to splitting of arable land, food shortage, erosion, environment protection concerns which caused increased poverty level. The rapid demographic growth has let policy makers in worries and appropriate strategies/measures need to be done to ensure a sustainable development for the country. For the last decade, the government of Rwanda initiated various economic and agricultural reforms which aimed to bring rational and sustainable solutions to the issue of endemic poverty. This research focused on analyzing the socio-economic and environment impacts of one of the development policies/approaches in the country. The One Village One Product approach (OVOP),was initiated to bring together synergies between land , agriculture and housing reforms through respectively consolidation of land use, agriculture transformation and living in village settlement. The choice for coffee intensification by the Nyamagabe District was caused by the fact that the climate and soil conditions are suitable for its growing; its contribution for the last 50 years as the main source of foreign currency for the country and recent efforts by the government to reform the coffee sector in order to become more competitive and generating more incomes to primary producers in cooperative. The hypothesis for this study is: “The OVOP approach through the coffee intensification project in Nyamagabe district has improved the livelihoods of farmers/households involved” the main objective of this study being to assess the current socio –economic and environment impacts of the One Village One Product (OVOP) approach in regard of the Coffee Intensification project in Nyamagabe district through land use consolidation and crop intensification (monoculture) systems. It has come to support the district in its efforts to alleviate poverty within rural population through new income generating opportunities by developing high value added commercial crops. The absence of land consolidation in a context of land scarcity and

excessive split plot combined with the lack of crop intensification in the area (GASAKA- NZEGA) was keeping the population in extreme poverty. The Coffee Intensification Project for poverty Reduction in Nyamagabe District is in line with various development policies that Government of Rwanda has been initiating or adhering to for the last decade (decentralization policy, land reform policy, crop intensification program, the vision 2020, Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, the strategic plan for agriculture transformation, the Millenium Development Goals, etc…). The implementation of activities of the coffee intensification project for poverty reduction in Nyamagabe district, Gasaka sector has had various positive impact such as: cultivation of coffee on 90,9 ha, exploitation of spaces/hills which were abandoned/shrubs, reinforcing soil conservation measures on cultivated land (terraces and erosion control contours), fruits, and agroforestry trees; forages, fixing plants, organization of local population into cooperative, introduction of the land use consolidation approach, market oriented production, emergence of entrepreneurial spirit, increasing incomes and enabling the beneficiaries to participate/contribute in different development and social programs (9 years based education, health insurance, Girinka, saving and access to loans). The project also supported the capacity reinforcement of the beneficiaries’ organizational body (KOKA cooperative) ; the financial support in term of monthly subsidy to ensure food security of involved households ; and diversification through the development of small income generating projects associated or complementary to coffee growing to increase their incomes. 104 households got support for livestock ( cow, rabbits and pigs). With the 175009 new coffee trees ready for production in 2012 and the 32926 old coffee trees with a current capacity of 112T; it is expected that the consolidated land produce around 300T of coffee cherries thus a need for a washing station. Key issues that need particular attention are identified and mitigation measures proposed accordingly. Being in its 3rd year, the achievements of the project had so far reached some of its objectives such as changing positively the rural livelihoods, increasing their annual income from 100US$ up to 778 US. The project covers a total number of 253 households with 219 qualifying for the monthly subsidy with 1121 members out of which 586 are women and 535 men. This study focused on a sample of 157 households with 698 members.