Population pressure and farm fragmentation: Challenges facing agriculture in Rwanda

Abstract

Small farmers play a dominant role in rural area in Rwanda according to many researchers. These farmers have some particular characteristics: most of them have tiny farms, while purchasing and borrowing of land are frequent. In addition, the size of farms is not only very small but farms are further fragmented into diminutive size fields due to increasing population pressure. The magnitude of fragmentation has increased overtime. Effects of population pressure and farm fragmentation are studied based on a survey of 200 households from Rusatira and Muyira ex-communes in Butare province, Southern Rwanda during 2001. As Rwandan household activities were homogeneous the investigation was limited to these two communes. Differential impact of population pressure is observed between the two areas in terms of household characteristics; land use and performance indicators; technology adoption and evaluation of farm information; land tenure and rights; and credit use and sources. Policies should be implemented to improve the functioning of land rental markets in order to reduce land fragmentation, improve rural education and access to relevant information; and strengthen extension facilities to individual farmers