ICRC NEWS N° 35/31 August 1994

RWANDA THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE RETURN HOME TO SOW THE FIELDS

In northern Rwanda, the camps for the displaced are emptying. Families are returning to their villages to begin planting a new crop. The ICRC has launched a vast agricultural aid programme: 1,800 tonnes of maize and bean seed, as well as 58.000 hoes, will be distributed in September to 136,000 families.

The first distributions took place this week in the far north of the country, “For the last three years farmers here have been prevented by the war from tilling their land”, explained Jlin, an ICRC agronomist. “The first rains have now fallen in the past few days and if there’s a good harvest in December or January, this part of the country could quickly become self-sufficient again”. In eastern Rwanda the situation is different; the harvest began in June and is just ending, and the population have managed to lay in some food stocks. In the safe zone, other organizations are planning to distribute seed.

Seed programme could yield 15,000 tonnes of food

If the weather is favourable, the seed distributions should have a marked effect: 2 kg of maize seed produces up to 30 kg of maize while 2 kg of bean seed yields between 20 and 30 kg of produce at harvest time. Thus, the beneficiaries of the ICRC’s agricultural programme may expect to harvest 15,000 tonnes of food by the beginning of next year.

Danger - Mines!

Farmers out sowing their fields will be facing a terrible risk: mines. Two or three victims are already being brought to hospital in Kigali each day.

Further information: Jlin, ICRC Nairobi, Tel. + + 2542 724 008, and
Tony Burgener, ICRC Geneva, Tel: ++ 41 22 730 2317