Agri-Business
Monday, June 09, 2014
Burundi subsidises fertilizer purchases
BUJUMBURA, Burundi - The government is subsidizing purchase of 18,000 metric tonnes of fertilizers.
The Burundi Second Vice-President Dr. Gervais Rufyikiri last week invited interested partners to provide more supports for agricultural inputs in order to curb household poverty especially in rural areas.
He was speaking during the official launch of the evaluation meeting of the National Program for Fertilizers’ Subsidizing in Burundi (PNSEB), one year after its establishment.
In his remarks, the Second Vice-President said the modernization and development of the agricultural sector, is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development and improving the socio-economic situation of households in Burundi.
“It is for this reason that the funds allocated to the program facilitated the purchase of 18,500 tons of fertilizers for 300,000 rural households during the 2014 growing seasons A and B. As a result, the amounts of fertilizer purchased increased from 3 kgs per household to 25 kgs or more as desired and according to the purchasing power of each and land area,” he said.
“The result was a significant increase in crop production for A season such as maize production”, he noted. He added that the results achieved within just one year, can allow affirming and recognizing that the objectives of the Fertilizers’ Subsidizing program are being implemented successfully and the population is witness, satisfied and encouraged. Moreover, he told that more than 651,000 households have actually registered to qualify for subsidized fertilizers, roughly half of the estimated 1,556,529 of agricultural households for 2015 A and B cropping seasons.
He reminded the PNSEB to tackle the major concerns of the population namely, providing chemical fertilizers of good quality and desired quantity and at an affordable price, in good condition and on time.
He invited technical and financial partners to be more involved with consistent and substantial support to the Common Fund for Fertilizers and Amendments and consequential development activities in the sector.
He requested for more technical support permanent support, particularly through the expansion of the program scope, the inclusion of the subsidizing of other inputs that might have great importance in agricultural intensification and higher yields.
By Renovat Nimbona, Monday, June 09th, 2014