Farmers whose crops have been ruined by hailstorm between March and May this year, Business Times says, are denouncing the lack of seeds to be planted in the coming agricultural season.
The farmers are among those impacted by disasters as predicted by the National Climate Outlook published in February this year that expected heavy precipitation in areas of the Western, Northern and Southern regions and the City of Kigali between March and May this year.
Rwanda Metrological Agency’s perspective and the Ministry of Emergency had advised that the disasters would hit some 48,000 families still living in high-risk areas.
Similar instances were observed between January and June last year when heavy rain, hailstorm and landslides damaged more than 9,412 hectares of plants and 797 livestock.
Jacqueline Tumuhorane, a widow in Gasabo District’s Jali Sector family of ten, said all her plants were damaged by hailstorm leaving her family without a livelihood source.
According to local authorities, she is one of the landowners whose 60 hectares were destroyed by hailstorm in Gasabo District between March and May.
Nyaburiba’s 5 villages were struck by the hailstorm with about 4,000 farmers.
The catastrophe affected the peasants, leaving them unable to provide fundamental facilities such as health insurance payments, Mutuelle de Sante.
Only about 200 people received health insurance assistance from Good Change Rwanda, an organization based in the local Muslim community, while others stay without assistance.
“We mostly need seeds for the next farming season since we did not harvested anything (in the last season) after a hailstorm damaged all crops especially beans, cassava, banana and sweet potatoes” she said.
She said she generally harvests 200 kilograms of beans per season, but she harvested only about 40 kg, all of which was used up in the consumption of subsistence.
“I also counted losses in cassava plantation and banana whose leaves have been totally damaged,” she said.
Head of a family of seven members in Nyaburiba cell, Jean Marie Vianney Rubanzabigwi, also said hailstorms ruined most of his plants.
“Hailstorm damaged my cassava. Beans that were at flouring stage were devastated in such a way that I harvested nothing. We have expressed our concern to our local leaders. Though we got little support of food stuff and health insurance, the main problem is to get seeds to plant again for the next season to be able to sustainably beat hunger,” he said.
According to Issa Higiro, Executive Director and President of Good Change Rwanda, the community has a goal to help over 700 vulnerable individuals such as widows, orphans and others struggling to get food and other fundamental needs.
The organization focuses on socioeconomic empowerment and preservation of the environment that fosters a sustainable future leading to social and economic enhancement while contributing to mitigation of global climate change.
To address the problem of climate change and weather-related disasters affecting plants, the government introduced an agricultural and cattle system through partnership with the private industry.
The system is anticipated to handle smallholder farmers ‘ hazards and losses and provide insurance coverage, enhance access to financial services, and guarantee credit flow to the farming industry.
All farmers in the pilot areas are qualified to take advantage of the subsidized insurance system of up to 40%.
Crop insurance already operates in the districts of Gatsibo, Nyagatare, Bugesera, Gisagara, Kirehe, Gicumbi, Huye, Rulindo, Ngoma and Rwamagana, while livestock insurance is accessible in eight districts, including Nyanza, Gicumbi, Musanze, Rwamagana, Gatsibo, Ruhango, Nyagatare and Burera.