Ngororero: Terraces Help Residents Cope with Climate Change
Contour terraces that help in adapting to climate change have been constructed in Ngororero District. Photo: The Bridge .
Beneficiaries of the Hinga Weze project in Ngororero District say that the project has taught them how to adapt to climate change through practices such as building terraces, using organic fertilizers, and planting trees alongside crops — all of which have produced tangible results.
Ngororero District is largely mountainous, and heavy rainfall has often caused landslides that wash away soil, destroy houses, take lives, and damage crops.
Turikumana Frederick, a resident of Sovu Sector, explained that before terraces were constructed, their farmland was constantly eroded by rain due to climate change. He said:
“Before the terraces were built, soil erosion would start from the top of the hill and wash everything down into the valley. But now, since we have terraces, the soil stays in place when it rains because the terraces hold it and keep the water in. We can now plant and harvest good yields.”
Besides terraces, the Hinga Weze project also provided farmers with lime to apply to their soil, which reduces acidity and helps soil particles stick together — preventing erosion when it rains.
Turikumana added that to further adapt to climate change, they also planted trees among their crops:
“These trees are very useful to us. When it rains, their roots absorb the water, preventing erosion. They also provide shade for our crops and help reduce the impact of heavy rains, which protects the soil. Hinga Weze really helped us cope with climate change.”
Nyirakanyamanza Verena, another resident of Sovu Sector, said:
“Hinga Weze taught us how to make compost manure, which strengthens the soil. That has helped us deal with climate change because before, we used very little organic fertilizer, and it didn’t make much difference. But now, with terraces and compost, we expect better harvests.”
Dieudonné Mushabizi, who worked for Hinga Weze as an agriculture officer in Ngororero District, said the project helped farmers adopt sustainable farming methods to make better use of their land while addressing the effects of climate change.
What farmers should know
He explained that farmer’s first need to understand why the climate changes and what they need from it — since the climate provides rain, sunshine, wind, and air that crops depend on. Farmers must also prepare their soil to make the most of these conditions. The soil should be managed so that if there’s too much rain or too much sun, crops are not damaged.
He continued: “First, we advise farmers to cultivate on terraces. In some places, we build them for them; in others, we repair damaged ones. We also provide lime and organic fertilizer, both of which help bind soil together. When soil holds together, it retains water — even when rainfall is scarce — and when it rains heavily, the soil can still store a lot of it.”
Mushabizi explained that erosion occurs when excess water flows downhill: “When runoff occurs, it carries away the chemical fertilizers farmers have applied, polluting rivers used by people. But if the water stays in the soil, those fertilizers are used by the crops instead, resulting in better yields.”
He added that they also teach farmers to plant agroforestry trees such as Calliandra, Leucaena, and Sesbania. These are small trees that don’t grow too tall but have valuable forage leaves for livestock. They also capture nitrogen from the atmosphere to fertilize crops, reducing the need to buy nitrogen fertilizer. Additionally, they provide shade, firewood, and stakes for climbing crops.
Mushabizi further explained that farmers are trained on proper tree management:
“If you let trees grow unchecked, they can cause problems. We show farmers how to prune them properly so they don’t create too much shade — because too much shade prevents crops from growing well, and shallow roots compete with the crops for nutrients.”
The Hinga Weze project has built terraces on 2,000 hectares of land and rehabilitated terraces on 50 hectares in Sovu Sector.
The Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), has established terraces on over 150,000 hectares nationwide.