©FAO/Joseph Nsabiyabandi
Jacqueline Hakizimana, 42, looks out over the land she once struggled against amidst the rolling hills of the Gitega Province of Burundi. Here, where the earth long resisted her, where seeds once vanished into dust, the land is green with rows of maize and beans. The crops rise neatly from the soil.
For Jacqueline, farming has been a way of life for over 30 years, having inherited the profession from her family, who farmed the nearby Kiremera Hill. But despite her experience, her results were far from ideal. She had only poor-quality seeds and little understanding of how to fertilize the soil effectively.
“I remember sowing 100 kilograms of beans over two hectares and harvesting just 90 kilograms,” she says, noting that her harvest was less than what she planted.
Her rudimentary farming techniques were passed down from her parents or learned from neighbours, and year after year, the yields were disappointing. She grew beans, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes and pigeon peas, but the output was barely enough to feed her family – husband and four children.
“We would eat what little we harvested, and I had to buy the rest from the market,” she recalls. “I thought my children would have to fend for themselves to survive,” she says, reflecting on how their situation once seemed.
It was during this period that Jacqueline heard about Farmer Field Schools (FFS) being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FFS are a practical, hands-on programme where farmers learn improved techniques through field demonstrations.
“I learned about the FFS through a training session led by an agronomist in our area,” she explains. Although starting new ventures can feel risky, Jacqueline says, she was not worried. “I felt confident because I was with other women from my community,” she says.
The FFS introduced Jacqueline to several innovations that helped revolutionize her farming. The biggest of these changes was turning FFS groups into cooperatives, with a focus on connecting farmers to markets. Now part of a cooperative, she wasn’t just learning better techniques—she was becoming part of a larger network that would help her access markets, sell her products and boost her income.
In the first days of FFS, Jacqueline received practical training in crop management and soil conservation. She learned to plant in rows, use better-quality seeds and manage her soil with contour lines and agroforestry practices that reduced erosion.
“Before, I used huge amounts of seeds and harvested very little,” she recalls. “Now I sow a minimal amount, and the harvest is larger, even though I cultivate the same land.”
The turning point came when she applied her newfound knowledge. “I planted 70 kilograms of maize on two hectares and harvested 1600 kilograms of maize grains,” she says. This success enabled her to buy a 0.5-hectare plot of land.
With the money raised from selling the plants produced by the cooperative, she and her family purchased two improved-breed cows, five goats and six rabbits, which further contributed to their farm’s sustainability by providing organic manure. “Now, I can afford things I never dreamed of, like buying my own land,” Jacqueline beams.
Her leadership has also flourished. Jacqueline is now president of the Turwanyubukene Cooperative, which translates to “Overcoming Poverty Together.” Today, she trains other members of the cooperative in the agricultural techniques she has mastered, and her influence is felt throughout her community. Her cooperative cultivates 12 hectares of diversified crops and has 400 kilograms of maize in stock, with savings in the bank.
Their next project is to build a warehouse to store harvested crops and install a mill to add value to their maize production. “Our goal now is to collect production from surrounding households, store it and process it for market,” she says.
This shift from subsistence farming to market-oriented agriculture is the result of FAO’s broader strategy to connect small-scale farmers to local and national markets. For Jacqueline, the project was about seeing greater opportunities through collective action. “By working with other farmers, we could share experiences, learn from demonstration plots and sell our products together at market,” she explains.
In Burundi, women have been key to the success of the cooperative model. Women make up 78.3 per cent of Farmer Field School members and cooperatives in the country, and they hold 73 per cent of decision-making roles within committees focused on sustainable value chains.
Their leadership has helped restore degraded lands, introduce crop rotation and organic farming and improve household nutrition. Moreover, women’s earnings have increased household incomes by an average of 20 per cent.
“Women have been the driving force behind many of these changes,” says Dieudonne Kameca, an FAO value chain expert from Burundi.
Despite the impressive gains, challenges remain. Access to credit, delays in obtaining equipment and the volatility of agricultural markets continue to hinder progress. FAO is conducting market studies, improving price information sharing and promoting agricultural entrepreneurship to tackle these issues.
“With the right resources and backing, transformation is not only possible—it’s inevitable,” says Vincent Martin, Director of FAO’s Office of Innovation. “Even in the most challenging environments, farmers can overcome adversity and turn hard work into success, paving the way for a brighter future for their families and communities.”
In Jacqueline’s case, she has transformed her farm into a thriving business. “I used to think my children would have to struggle like I did,” she says. “Now, I know they have a better future ahead.”
FAO’s efforts in Burundi are not just about increasing agricultural production, they are about building resilient communities capable of facing economic and environmental challenges. The farmers of Gitega Province are now leaders in a movement to revitalize agriculture in Burundi. With the right support, transformation is always possible.
Source: The FAO News And Media Office, Rome
– global bihari bureau
