Once cultivating crops simply to sustain their households, members of the KOABURA Cooperative in Rambura Sector, Nyabihu District, are now celebrating a dramatic increase in potato yields that has allowed them to transition into business-farming. On 397 hectares of land—of which 210 hectares were planted with potatoes—farmers harvested between 15 and 20 tons per hectare; a substantial improvement compared to previous yields of around 4 tons per hectare prior to support from the Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Food Security Project (SAIP).

The cooperative, which now counts 987 members (including 529 women), attributes this transformation to the SAIP intervention. Through the project, members received training in best potato-farming practices and established a model demonstration farm from which the cooperative also purchases certified seed tubers supplied to members alongside fertilizers. These combined interventions have significantly increased not only productivity but also the quality of their produce. According to the cooperative’s president, Mr Simbizi Celestin, members “no longer struggle to find buyers,” thanks to the improved quality of their potatoes. 

In addition to increased production, KOABURA members received support from SAIP to construct a warehouse under the matching-grant component, valued at 43,184,060 FRW, for the safe storage of harvested potatoes. They also benefited from the construction of a selling point worth 40,000,000 FRW. Each member also received plastic sheeting to protect crops from rain damage during harvest. Furthermore, SAIP procured three motorbikes to facilitate the transport of produce from farms to the warehouse. 

The rise in productivity has translated directly into improved livelihoods of members. Today, every member has health insurance, participates in saving schemes like Ejo Heza, is able to pay school fees for children, and many have purchased their own motor-bikes.