Soil Health in Rwanda

1. Introduction 2. Objectives of T4S3. Contribute of Soil health in ACIAR project 4. Way Forward ?

Gishwati & Bugesera sites for ACIAR project • Introduction Gishwati Gishwati landscape comprises

Forestry reserve ( 6 km2 ), Livestock and agricultural land

Support a large number of populations due to the favorable agro-climate conditions

Combined with population pressures, consecutive cultivation on steep slopes and high rainfall intensity leading to frequent landslides and erosion.

The landscape is undergoing land degradation and decreased soil fertility , which contributes to food insecurity and poverty

Bugesera Semi-arid area with less rain compared to GishwatiFrequent drought leading crops loss Erosion problem is less and land is almost flat but the soil is Oxisol and Ultisol with deficiency in soil nutrients macro an micro nutrients

Trees For Food Security project Objectives

The aim of this project is to enhance food security for resource-poor rural people in Eastern Africa through research that underpins national programmes to scale up the use of trees within farming systems in Ethiopia and Rwanda and then scale out successes to relevant agro-ecological zones in Uganda and Burundi.Specific objectives To characterise target farming landscapes and systems, and develop tools for matching species and management options to sites and circumstances ( Work package 1:Work package 1.Characterisation and targeting) To generalize predictions of impacts of tree species and management

on crop productivity, water resources and nutrients at field, farm and landscape scales to inform scaling up to improve food security and reduce climate risk.

To develop effective methods and enabling environments for scaling up and out the adoption of trees on farms.

To develop databases and tools for monitoring and evaluation of the impact of scaling up and out the adoption of trees on farms, and

To enhance capacity and connectivity of national partner institutions (including farmer groups) in developing and promoting locally appropriate options for adoption of farm trees.

Contribute of Soil health in ACIAR project

Training RAB staff Sampling Soil analysis

• Way forward

Crop response test to the critical deficiency nutrients

I Training national staff University and Rwanda Agriculture Board staff