The construction of a 4.3-kilometer water canal on the Karungeli River in Mimuli Sector, Nyagatare District, has reached 92% completion. Once completed, the canal will significantly increase the volume of water flowing into the Cyabayaga Dam, which supports rice irrigation in the Umuvumba marshland.

This intervention is part of the Government of Rwanda’s broader efforts—through the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB)—to rehabilitate and strengthen irrigation infrastructure nationwide. Over the years, RAB has developed more than 67,000 hectares of irrigation infrastructure, including marshlands, hillside systems, and small-scale irrigation schemes managed by Water Users Organizations in collaboration with Districts. While farmers can maintain routine irrigation structures, heavy infrastructure such as dams, concrete canals, and aqueducts requires advanced technical and financial support.

Between 2018 and 2020, heavy rains and floods severely affected many irrigation schemes across the country. Canals and hydraulic structures were washed away, marshlands filled with sediments, and several water harvesting infrastructures were damaged. To address these challenges, RAB contracted specialized companies to rehabilitate the affected systems.

The Karungeli feeder canal is one of the priority structures under rehabilitation due to its critical role in transporting water safely to the Cyabayaga Dam. A detailed assessment confirmed the canal’s design capacity, soil stability, and hydraulic requirements. The total construction cost is estimated at RWF 329.4 million.

Once fully completed, the rehabilitated canal will enhance water conveyance into the Cyabayaga Dam, improve irrigation reliability for rice farmers in the Umuvumba marshland, and strengthen climate resilience in the drought-prone areas of Nyagatare. Remaining works will proceed after the current agricultural activities in the canal’s right-of-way are concluded.