GITEGA August 21st (ABP) – The governor of Gitega province (center of the country), Mr. Venant Manirambona, called on people to make use of dolomite to correct the acidity of the soil.
He delivered that message on August 16, 2023, when he was proceeding, together with the representative of IFDC (international center for soil fertilization) and that of the NGO One Acre Fund Tubura, to the launch of the activities related to the dolomite application.
That operation took place in the village of Rweru, Giheta commune and in the fields of the Sangwe cooperative, located in the Mungwa zone, Gitega commune.
The provincial governor took the opportunity to appreciate the interventions of the two organizations in agricultural matters. Their support contributes to the increase in agricultural production, he added, specifying that this fits well with the will of the responsible and hardworking government to pull the population out of food insecurity.
In his speech, the representative of IFDC, Mr. Oscar Nduwimana, justified the interest of the application of dolomite on the lands of Burundi. He pointed out that 73% of the land is affected by acidity and that the IFC intervened, therefore, with 10,000T of dolomite in 38 communes of the country, to serve an area of 5,500 hectares.
As for the NGO One Acre Fund Tubura, the project manager, Mr. Jean Claude Yamuremye, spoke about the quantities of dolomite that will be delivered to associations under the supervision of that NGO. In Gitega commune, he said, 497 tons will be used for 338 ha, while in Giheta commune, 285 tons will be delivered for an area of 203 ha. The application of dolomite does not exclude the use of organic and/or mineral fertilizers, they concluded.