The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) has announced that 765,000 hectares of land across the country will be cultivated during the 2027A agricultural season.
RAB said the government will increase efforts to promote soil-conserving agriculture and double production in designated food baskets, known as FOBASI.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, during an expanded meeting held in the Eastern Province to assess preparations for the 2027A agricultural season and develop strategies to help communities achieve food self-sufficiency.
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RAB Acting Director General Dr. Florence Uwamahoro said that of the 765,000 hectares to be cultivated, 100,000 hectares will use soil-conservation farming methods, while another 246,000 hectares will be cultivated in food-basket areas, including 100,000 hectares that will receive special attention.
“Soil-conserving agriculture is one of the approaches we want to invest in during this agricultural season because we tested it through research to help us address the effects of climate change.”
Dr. Uwamahoro said the approach does not involve disturbing the soil extensively. Instead, farmers clear the land, dig planting holes, apply fertiliser, and continue weeding and mulching to improve yields.
She said many people have already been trained and are expected to work with communities to teach farmers how to adopt the approach.
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Government Targets Higher Production in Food Baskets
Regarding FOBASI, Dr. Uwamahoro said the government aims to double the production recorded last year, which is why the area under cultivation has been increased.
Eastern Province Governor Pudence Rubingisa said preparations for the season had already begun, with a strong focus on soil-conserving agricultural practices. He said farmers had also started being encouraged to register on Smart Nkunganire so they could access fertilisers and seeds in advance and be ready to plant as soon as the rains begin, rather than starting preparations after the rains arrive.
“We have also set a target of reaching eight tonnes per hectare in both irrigated and rain-fed areas, while rice production is expected to reach seven tonnes per hectare.”
Crops expected to receive particular attention during the season include maize, beans, rice and soybeans.
Farmers Urged to Prepare Before Rains
Authorities also urged owners of large plots of land who are not cultivating them to make the land available to other residents for farming in order to increase agricultural production.
