BUJUMBURA, May 17th (ABP) – On Wednesday 15 May 2024, the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), officially launched a project to invest in climate-proof food production in the watersheds of the Imbo and Moso regions.
According to Prosper Dodiko, Minister for the Environment, the project is financed by the Green Climate Fund to the tune of 9,994,000 dollars.
Burundi is facing the negative effects or damage caused by climate change, including crop losses, the destruction of economic and social infrastructure, and the impoverishment of the population. That is happening in various provinces, particularly in the western, eastern and north-eastern parts of the country, he said, adding that that situation will increase the level of vulnerability, which was worrying, and will put a strain on public finances.
Minister Dodiko indicated that the Green Climate Fund had agreed to finance that agricultural production project through an agreement signed between the Green Climate Fund and IFAD, so that the latter would administer and manage the amount granted.
The Green Climate Fund component for intensification of agricultural production and reduction of vulnerability (PIPARV-B) will work to develop the resilience of agriculture in the Imbo and Moso regions, improve soil and water management through the adoption of better agro-ecosystem practices by land users, build the capacity of stakeholders at all levels in the best agro-ecosystem management practices for better soil and water conservation. It will also develop an enabling environment for soil and water conservation.
Although the Green Climate Fund has agreed to finance that project, Minister Dodiko greatly regrets the delay in its implementation. He therefore urged the managers recruited after a competitive process to put their heart and soul into implementing that component.
In Imbo region, Minister Dodiko announced that the Fund would be active in the northern part of the country. In the south, Rumonge and Nyanza-lac will be concerned, as they are also facing flooding. He also pointed out that the Bugesera natural region, which is suffering from drought, will not be covered by the fund. The same applies to the wet plateau areas.
As part of international solidarity against climate change, as defined in the Paris Agreement, the minister asked international organisations and bilateral cooperation agencies to pool their efforts to mobilise more funds so that Burundi can adapt to climate change and alleviate the suffering of the people affected by the floods and landslides of recent days.
According to PIPARV-B project coordinator Damas Ntiranyibagira, the threats to the environment are not the same from one commune to another. He explained that there are communes that are exposed to flooding and erosion, and those that are less exposed to erosion. Communes such as those in Moso have more hills to work on than those in Imbo, where the watersheds are quite far from the areas.
In his opinion, one of the most urgent activities is the preparation of nurseries for the production of agroforestry seedlings. That activity will enable them to place an order fairly quickly for the seeds needed to produce those seedlings.
Another urgent activity is to prepare for the A 2025 agricultural season. Seeds and fertilisers must be ready before October.