The harvest was disappointing for the Minago cooperative in growing season A. Low rainfall, compounded by a lack of fertilizer, is cited as the main cause.
For growing season A, the Minago cooperative farmed 2 hectares of land. This 37-member cooperative grew a bean-and-maize combination there. Unfortunately, the harvest was poor. In the end, the cooperative harvested only 651 kg of maize and less than 20 kg of beans. According to the cooperative’s leaders, the weather was not favorable. In addition, the fertilizer problem—fertilizers having become extremely scarce and expensive in Burundi—did not spare the Minago cooperative.
However, the leaders of this cooperative are not giving up. They say that certain obstacles have been identified and that solutions will be put in place to improve production in the coming seasons.
As the Minago cooperative is a member of the AEVCPV association, its president also plans to support the cooperative to help it get back on its feet. “We acknowledge that the harvest was not good for this cooperative. It is a major loss for them and for AEVCPV as the parent association. We will provide them with the means so they can continue the program,” promised Jean Marie Bigirimuremyi, President of AEVCPV.
Among other forms of support for the cooperative, President Jean Marie Bigirimuremyi mentioned goats, which can also produce organic fertilizer.