Kayonza District, Rwanda, 7 October 2026

Women farmers in Rwanda’s Eastern Province are embracing innovative farming technologies to improve cassava productivity, strengthen food security, and transform their livelihoods. Through the adoption of Zai Pit technology, farmers such as Marie Alice Uwineza, Nyiramparirwa Marie Claire, and Mutuyimana Brandine are demonstrating the important role women play in promoting agricultural innovation and building resilient farming systems.

During a field monitoring visit to the Eastern Province, the Ingabo Farmers’ Association, through the SCORE Rwanda Project, visited farmers in Kayonza District to assess the adoption and implementation of Zai Pit technology in cassava production and their readiness to expand this innovative solution.

The project is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) and supervised by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Learning, Innovating, and Transforming Cassava Farming

Among the farmers visited was Marie Alice Uwineza, from Kamarara Village, Nyagatovu Cell, Mukarange Sector, Kayonza District. She explained that she learned about Zai Pit technology after watching educational videos shared on the Ingabo Farmers’ Association’s YouTube channel. Inspired by the technology’s potential to improve cassava yields, she decided to adopt the method on her farm.

During the current cropping season, Marie Alice has prepared 1,500 planting pits across two hectares and expects to harvest more than 80 tonnes of cassava. This is a significant contrast with her previous experience, when the same two-hectare plot produced no more than 100 kilograms of cassava.

Her initiative demonstrates how access to agricultural information and a willingness to adopt improved farming practices can encourage farmers to rethink traditional production methods and pursue better results.

Women Driving the Adoption of Zai Pit Technology

The monitoring visit also highlighted the adoption of Zai Pit technology by Nyiramparirwa Marie Claire and Mutuyimana Brandine, from Ryamutumo Village, Nyamugari Cell, Mwili Sector, Kayonza District.

Together with Marie Alice, these women farmers represent the growing importance of women in adopting and promoting innovative agricultural practices at the farm level. Their experiences highlight the potential of farmer education, knowledge sharing, and practical application of improved technologies to support the transformation of cassava production.

By embracing Zai Pit technology, women farmers contribute to improving crop productivity, strengthening household food security, and creating better opportunities for agricultural livelihoods. Their participation also demonstrates how women can serve as important agents of change by inspiring other farmers in their communities to explore improved farming methods.

SCORE Rwanda: Strengthening Cassava-Based Livelihoods

Through the SCORE Rwanda Project, the Ingabo Farmers’ Association promotes improved cassava farming practices, including Zai Pit technology, as part of broader efforts to strengthen smallholder farmers’ resilience to food insecurity and climate-related challenges.

The project supports farmers in accessing knowledge and applying innovative practices intended to improve productivity, strengthen climate resilience, and enhance livelihoods in cassava-growing communities.

The experiences of Marie Alice Uwineza, Nyiramparirwa Marie Claire, and Mutuyimana Brandine illustrate the importance of women’s participation in agricultural transformation. By embracing innovation and applying new knowledge on their farms, women farmers can help drive improvements in cassava production and contribute to more resilient and productive agricultural systems.

Empowering women farmers with agricultural knowledge and innovative technologies is essential to transforming cassava production, strengthening food security, and building climate-resilient livelihoods in Rwanda.