Burundi cooperative combines rice and fish farming
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Yaga Burundi
Illustrative image · FilmSoft · Pexels · Licence PexelsIn Burundi, Gérardine Irakoze has organised the CAPECOBU cooperative around a model combining rice farming, fish farming and poultry rearing. The young computer scientist uses digital tutorials to develop the project with 44 members in Buramata, in Mpanda commune, according to Yaga Burundi.
Gérardine Irakoze, a 26-year-old computer scientist from Mpanda commune in Bujumbura, has organised the CAPECOBU cooperative around a model combining rice farming, fish farming and poultry rearing. The farm uses waste from 250 chickens to fertilise pond water, where the fish help fertilise the rice fields, reports Yaga Burundi.
The project began with a single four-are pond and 44 members. After receiving a loan of eight million Burundian francs with support from PAEEJ, the cooperative fully repaid its financing and expanded its operation to 25 ares and ten ponds, according to Yaga Burundi.
The farm now has 16,000 fish, including tilapia and catfish. The fish eat insects and unwanted plants in the ponds, allowing members to limit pesticide use and rice weeding. Production can reach two tonnes of rice, according to Yaga Burundi.
Gérardine Irakoze says she learnt these farming techniques through research and tutorials accessed on social media. She encourages young Burundians to use digital tools to gain skills and launch productive activities.
