ARDE/KUBAHO has provisionally received a newly constructed solar powered irrigation system in Nyarubaka Sector, Kamonyi District, marking a major step toward strengthening climate resilience and sustainable agricultural production in the Kayumbu watershed.
The infrastructure was handed over by the contractor, BTMC, during a ceremony attended by representatives of the Kamonyi District and Nyarubaka Sector authorities, members of the beneficiary cooperative committee, and the cooperative’s Water User Committee.
The newly completed irrigation system is designed to provide a reliable water supply for agricultural production, reducing farmers’ dependence on increasingly unpredictable rainfall. The system draws water from the river through an intake structure and channels it into a centralized sump. A solar powered motor pump then lifts the water uphill into a holding dam, from where it is distributed to surrounding hillside fields through gravity fed networks.
The infrastructure is expected to support irrigation across 10 hectares of marshland, creating the conditions for year round agricultural production. Although farmers have not yet started planting, the completion of the system means the area is now ready for agricultural activities to begin.
The irrigation infrastructure is part of a broader climate resilience initiative implemented by ARDE/KUBAHO with financial support from the Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA). The project combines sustainable land management, soil erosion control, reforestation, and improved access to water for agriculture.
Beyond irrigation, the initiative targets the construction and maintenance of progressive terraces across 140 hectares to reduce soil erosion on steep slopes. It also includes the planting of 30,000 trees, comprising 25,000 agroforestry trees to improve soil health and 5,000 fruit trees aimed at supporting household nutrition and income generation.
With the solar powered irrigation infrastructure now completed and provisionally handed over, the project has reached a key milestone toward enabling farmers in the Kayumbu watershed to increase agricultural productivity while adapting to the challenges posed by climate variability.
