Publications /  Annual Report 1998

After the civil war and associated genocide in Rwanda in June and July, 1994, more than one million refugees streamed over the border into neighboring areas of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Refugee camps were set up under the auspices of the United Nations and several NGOs. The displaced population lived in these camps for a little over two years, until they were dispersed in October, 1996—some to their home country of Rwanda, and some to other parts of the DRC. A 1998 survey on the impact of this crisis on local agriculture was carried out in South Kivu, DRC, by Motombo Tanganik and Phemba Phezo of INERA, the national agricultural research institute.

The national potato and sweetpotato programs of INERA are based at the Mulungu Research Station in Bukavu, DRC, near the erstwhile refugee camps. These programs are part of the PRAPACE network, and they have received advanced germplasm and training from CIP for the past 20 years. The station became involved in multiplying planting material for local farmers, who sold their harvest directly to the refugees as well as to the relief agencies.

The highlands of South Kivu are mountainous, and arable land is located in mid- and high elevation areas (1,400–2,500 meters above sea level). The predominant crop is bananas, consumed primarily as local beer. The major staples are sweetpotato, beans, maize, cassava, and potato. Sweetpotato, known as cilera abana, or "protector of the children," is universally grown on a small scale for food security. Along with other vegetables, potatoes are widely grown in drained swamps as a cash crop—mostly by wealthier members of the community. During the crisis, farmers were able to rapidly intensify production of both of these crops in response to the refugee market.

Responding to increased market demand from the refugees, most potato farmers increased their cropping intensity from one to two or even three crops a year. Over half the farmers interviewed decreased area planted to other crops in order to increase potato production. This occurred at the expense of bean, maize, cassava, and sorghum crops. Two-thirds of the farmers adopted new varieties, including Cruza 148 (720118), introduced from Mexico in the late 1970s. This variety is relatively high yielding, resistant to late blight, and tolerant to bacterial wilt. Adoption has been limited by its relatively poor culinary quality, which makes it difficult to market. But this was obviously not a major issue for the refugee market, and it quickly became the most widely grown variety. Other established varieties—Montsama (720049) and the Rwandan selection Mabondo—were also adopted. Seed was obtained from the Mulungu research station and from extension and NGOs. Some seed was brought by the refugees themselves. The availability of refugees for labor encouraged local farmers to adopt relatively labor-intensive practices. These included heavy mulching at planting, deep tillage, preparation and application of organic compost, draining swampy plots, and higher hilling. Over half the farmers increased their use of fungicides to control late blight, and 42 percent rogued out diseased or other suspicious plants to improve seed quality.

The presence of a ready market encouraged a significant increase in sweetpotato production by all farmers interviewed. The vast majority of them began to cultivate sweetpotato twice a year, reducing area planted in maize, beans, peanuts, and vegetables. Over half the farmers planted new varieties, available from the Mulungu station. These new varieties had been selected primarily for earliness and high yield: Karebe II and Mugande, regional farmers’ varieties initially identified as superior by the Rwandan research program; Yanshu 1, a high-yielding and early Chinese variety, normally scored as marginal by taste panels in Africa; Mulungu I , a local Congolese farmers’ variety recently identified as superior by researchers; and Benikomachi, a Japanese variety with relatively low yield but excellent taste. Farmer preference for Yanshu 1 over the better-tasting Benikomachi indicated the refugee market’s willingness to accept varieties with relatively low culinary quality.

This case study illustrates the positive effects of applying agricultural technology in a rapid response program on disaster relief whose cost is increasing at an alarming rate in sub-Saharan Africa. Both potato and sweetpotato will have important roles to play as short-season, nutritious, locally available foods. CIP and PRAPACE will continue to work with partners and donors to make them available as quickly and efficiently as possible in emergency situations, while simultaneously pursuing a longer-term strategy to expand more permanent market opportunities.