Following the allegations that they were being fined and jailed for cultivating sorghum, the mayor of Burera says no farmer was jailed.
The farmers from Cyanika and Kagogo had told TV1 that they were being hunted, fined and jailed for sorghum plants.
They said that they are being forced to plant beans and potatoes, yet the harvest is not as good as the sorghum’s.
one said: ” When it’s harvest time, I sell sorghum and pay my family’s insurance and school fees because sorghum, unlike beans and potatoes gets good harvest. “
” Our hoes are being confiscated, fined up to 30,000 frw and some others have been jailed.” another one added.
” We are now cultivating during the night, because it’s when we are safe to do so.” people told TV1
Mme MUKAMANA Soline, Mayor of Burera district said that no one was jailed for such a thing.
” We agreed with our people to use a certain piece of land for beans, potatoes and maize, in a program called guhuza ubutaka, in effort to maximize our harvest and it’s working. regarding being jailed, all we do is have talks and teach anyone trying to do different from what we agreed, but no one can be jailed for such a reason. ” Mme MUKAMANA told ISIBO TV.
Mme MUKAMANA said that not all land is being used for beans, potatoes and maize, that people still have land they could use for different crops.
“Guhuza ubutaka is a national program, where a certain piece of land is used for a given type of crop, to maximize the harvest, and from what we saw in the previous trimester, it’s working well. ” Mme Mukamana added.
Burera district is one of the district known for and advanced harvest of potatoes, hence the district’s efforts to maximize it’s harvest, together with other cash crops.
