With the good agricultural practices learned, small livestock, agricultural inputs and other products received on credit from One Acre Fund Tubura, the population of Gitega province expresses its gratitude towards this NGO. Members of the Sangwe cooperative, located on Bukoro hill in the Nyarusange commune, testify to the benefits brought by this NGO.
Donatien Ntiruhwama: “Since I have benefited from Tubura’s support, I have made enormous progress”
On Bukoro hill, in the commune of Nyarusange, Gitega province, lives Mr. Donatien Ntiruhwama, an agro-pastoralist and member of the Sangwe cooperative. This cooperative was fortunate to benefit from the support of the NGO One Acre Fund Tubura. In November 2023, thanks to this NGO, Ntiruhwama received 50 poultry. He says that at first, he was worried about the profitability of this project. “Feeding these poultry was exhausting because they produced nothing. On the other hand, I only spent money to feed them and buy their medicines,” he explains.
However, after a few months, his chickens started laying, marking a turning point for this farmer. Today, they produce up to 60 eggs per day, generating a net income of more than 105,000 BIF per week, after deducting the cost of food and medicine and other related expenses.
The income generated by the sale of eggs allows this agro-pastoralist to meet the various needs of his household. He says that this money has notably allowed him to increase his capital in charcoal production. “I don’t know how to thank Tubura for this support. It was the first time I heard of an organization offering poultry on credit and without interest. This NGO arrived at the right time,” he rejoices.
From livestock breeding to agriculture: a dual vocation
Ntiruhwama not only received poultry from Tubura, he is also a farmer. For the past season, the good agricultural practices taught to them by this NGO have borne fruit. As he shows us the bags of beans lined up in his living room, he expresses his great satisfaction with his harvest, which has exceeded his expectations.
“I can never thank the NGO Tubura enough. Since I have been using their services, I have made enormous progress. The good agricultural practices I learned from their field agents have allowed me to significantly reduce my sowing costs and increase my production,” he explains. According to him, where he used to sow more than 120 kg of beans, he now sows 60 kg and harvests more than 700 kg thanks to the agricultural techniques he learned.
Joseph Bwampamye, from the Provincial Office of the Cooperative and Associative Movement in Gitega, expressed his gratitude to Tubura for its sustainable interventions in favor of the development of the beneficiary population. “Tubura has made a name for itself in this province. Everyone knows that to have good agricultural production, you have to follow Tubura’s directives,” he said. He encouraged the beneficiaries to take ownership of the achievements of these projects and to manage their harvests well. He also asked One Acre Fund Tubura to extend its interventions to other localities so that more Burundians can benefit from them. He assured that the local administration will fully support Tubura’s actions.
Yvan Marre Intungane, head of communications at One Acre Tubura, said the NGO supports 426 beneficiaries spread across 20 groups in the commune of Nyarusange. In this commune, Tubura is involved in the cultivation and marketing of soybeans, as well as in the distribution of agricultural inputs and selected seeds. In terms of livestock, Tubura has distributed 1,300 chicks to beneficiaries, including 300 on Bukoro hill.
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