Cattle manure management in Rwanda – A case of Girinka cow beneficiaries in the district of Ngoma

Abstract

Girinka – or the "one-cow per poor family" program – is currently being promoted as a poverty reduction strategy in Rwanda. One potential benefit of the program is the possibility to improve soil fertility through the collection and application of cow manure. No research, however, has been conducted to date to assess the effectiveness of manure usage amongst the Girinka cow beneficiaries in the country. To address this, a comprehensive study was conducted in the Ngoma district to assess current levels of manure knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) among Girinka beneficiaries. Preliminary results suggest that >90% of Girinka beneficiaries are using manure, and beneficiaries positively attributed increased yields and improved soil fertility to manure use. However, beneficiaries were not consistently using recommended manure management practices, siting lack of manure handling and transporting tools, distance to fields, and poor construction of cow sheds (particularly the roofing) as key limiting factors. We recommend stronger emphasis on manure usage during Girinka trainings and future research to determine the best manure management practices for one-cow farm systems to maximize the potential benefits of manure application for Girinka farmers in Rwanda.

Keywords: Girinka program; manure; Ngoma district; Rwanda

Rwanda Journal, Volume 24 Series E 2011