The Nyiramageni marshland, located in Nyanza and Gisagara districts of the Southern Province, once plagued by devastating floods that regularly destroyed rice crops, has been successfully transformed through a major irrigation development intervention by the Sustainable Agricultural Productivity and Markets Linkage Project (SAPMP). The intervention focused on the improvement of Cyili and Nyiramageni marshlands making up an area of 600ha commonly known as NYIRAMAGENI Marshland.

Covering a 600-hectare command area, the intervention covered three Sectors namely Gikonko and Mamba sectors of Gisagara District and Ntyazo sector of Nyanza Districtwith 4 cells which are Katarara Cell of Ntyazo Sector and Mbogo, Gakoma, and Mamba cells of Mamba Sector. The aim was to safeguard farmers’ livelihoods by controlling floods and ensuring reliable irrigation and necessary road connections to markets.

SAPMP established key irrigation and access infrastructure, including a reinforced concrete and stone intake structure to regulate water and prevent flooding, two sand traps to reduce sediment, nearly 20 km of main canals in Nyanza and Gisagara, and over 19 km of feeder roads to improve farmer access. It also delivered 19 crossing and offtake structures, 192 tertiary offtakes for equitable water distribution to rice basins and rehabilitated 450 meters of access roads near the intake, ensuring reliable year-round use. 

It is worth noting that though the achievements are significantly impactful on most of the challenges Nyiramageni farmers were faced with, it did not address two other critical challenges, the downstream flooding from the Akanyaru River and the absence of a functional irrigation network within the marshland. Planned lot 3 and 4 are expected to close these gaps.

Despite the pending gaps, Nyiramageni farmers celebrate already the impact of the accomplished intervention. It has already begun to transform Nyiramageni by reducing flood risks and improving water management, with more than 600 hectares of farmland secured for productive use. Farmers in both Nyanza and Gisagara districts can now grow rice and other crops with confidence, while feeder roads enhance market access. The upcoming Lots 3 and 4 will further strengthen the scheme by safeguarding against downstream flooding and establishing a fully functional irrigation network, ensuring that infrastructure translates into sustainable productivity

The Nyiramageni intervention demonstrates how integrated water management can transform vulnerable wetlands into resilient, productive landscapes. With continued investments in flood control and irrigation efficiency, the scheme is set to become a model for sustainable marshland development in Rwanda, offering lasting benefits for farmers and local communities.