While challenges such as high animal feed prices and the rising cost of living often burden farmers in various regions, a group of livestock farmers in Bugabe Village, Bambiro Cell, Nyange Sector, has launched a revolution based on self-reliance. Through small-scale poultry and pig farming projects, these farmers have reached a level of producing their own animal feed using Azolla and Hydroponics technologies—methods that help them overcome market constraints and achieve sustainable development.
The journey began with a group called Duterimbere Bugabe I, consisting of 26 members. After receiving 10 chickens per member from the PRISM project, the residents did not stop there; instead, they turned them into capital for a larger venture. Beatha Dusabirema, the group’s leader, explains that their operations are built on the goal of never backsliding. They invested one million Rwandan francs to purchase pigs, which significantly expanded their farming activities.
The project grew rapidly as the pigs reproduced, allowing members to distribute offspring to one another. This led to the formation of a new group, Bugabe II, while ensuring each member owns livestock individually through a rotation system. One of the most remarkable aspects of this project is how these farmers solved the problem of expensive animal feed and the lack of local suppliers. Through training and study tours, they introduced two agricultural innovations to supplement their farming: Azolla, an aquatic plant rich in protein, and Hydroponics, a method of sprouting grains in water within a short period.
Fulgence Umuhire, Officer in Charge of Agriculture and Animal Resources in Nyange Sector, Ngororero District
Fulgence Umuhire, the Animal Resources Officer in Nyange Sector, states that this practical knowledge is the pillar of these farmers’ progress. He emphasizes that they created their own solutions because there are no commercial feed vendors in their area; thus, growing supplemental feed is a sustainable and cost-effective way to farm. The positive impact is evident in the daily lives of Nyange residents. Drocelle Uwamariya, one of the farmers, testifies that the poultry and pigs have become a source of well-being, providing her with the means to pay for health insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) and school fees for her children.
Currently, the group has reached the stage of constructing modern pens for improved pig breeds to increase production and compete in a wider market.
