Land Use Consolidation and Socio-economic Livelihoods of Rural Farmers: A Case Study of Cyuve Sector, Musanze District, Rwanda

ABSTRACT This study on Land Use Consolidation and Socio-Economic Livelihoods of Farmers carried out in Cyuve Sector, Musanze District sought to analyse the contribution of Land Use Consolidation towards the socio-economic livelihoods of farmers in Rwanda The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to assess the crops grown before and after land use consolidation; to determine the yield and profitability of crops grown before and after land use consolidation; to identity the problems faced by farmers in the implementation of the land use consolidation and to evaluate the extent and measure used to train farmers on land use consolidation. The review of literature showed that Land Use Consolidation was used as one of the strategies of the government of Rwanda ith the aim of giving farmers the large plots of land with one productive crop rather than scattered, small parcels of land with different non productive crops. This strategy aims to increase of agricultural productivity and to improve the livelihoods of farmers. The study used quantitative, correlational and cross-sectional survey approaches. The target population involves the farmers of Cyuve sector. Questionnaires were administered to the head of family or to others members of family who participate in agricultural activities. The data collected from the households of the f.'U111ers was analyzed and presented in tables and figures using Microsoft Excel. The researcher analysed the data collected basing on the number of respondents using Friedman as Chi-squaire analytical tools. The results of the study showed that in Cyuve sector the farmers cultivate three crops: maize, Irish potatoes and beans under land use consolidation instead of multi-crops cultivated before. The profitability of crops in Cyuve sector was marginally positive after land use consolidation. However, the crop gross margin was negative before land use consolidation. The problems faced by farmers in the implementation of the land use consolidation relate to the challenges of delay in payment. As far as the ehient and measure used to train farmers on land use consolidation is concerned, the results revealed that there are few farmers trained in land use consolidation implementation. Basing on the findings, the study recommends that farmers should change mind set and involve themselves in modern agriculture and abandon the forn1er habit of mixing many crops on a small plot of land, local leaders should avail seeds of more profitable crops, government and agriculture partners should invest more effort in training fam1ers in modem agriculture in general and in land use consolidation in particular.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS 

DECLARATION .................................................................................................................... i 

APPROVAL .......................................................................................................................... ii 

DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... iii 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ....................................................................................................... iv 

LIST OF ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................... v 

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................... vi 

LIST OFT ABLES ................................................................................................................ ix 

LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ x 

ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................... xi 

CHAPTER ONE ...••••..•••••..•••••••.••••••..•••••••.•••••••.••••••..•••••••..•••••••..•••••..•.•••.••..•••••...••••••....••••• 1 

INTRODUCTION .•••••.••••••••.•••••.••••••.••••••••.•••••••.••••••.•••••••..••••••••..••••••••••••....••••.•..•.••••....•••••• I 

1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................. I 

1.1 Background to the study ................................................................................................... I 

1.2 Problem statement ............................................................................................................ 3 

1.3. Purpose of study .............................................................................................................. 3 

1.4 General objective .............................................................................................................. 3 

1.5 Specific Objectives ........................................................................................................... 3 

1.6. Research questions ....................................................................................................................... 4 

I. 7. Hypothesis ....................................................................................................................... 4 

1.8. Scope of the Study ........................................................................................................... 4 

1.9. Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 5 

Th~=·····························································································································6 

Personal significance .............................................................................................................. 6 

CHAPTER TW 0 ....•........................•.•....•...............•........................................•................... 7 

LITERATURE REVIEW •.••.•.•.••••••.••••••.•••••••.••.•••.••••••.••••••..••••••.•••••••..•••••.••••••.•••••....••••••... 7 

2.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 7 

2.1. Definition of concepts ..................................................................................................... 7 

2.1. I. Agriculture ................................................................................................................... 7 

2. 1.2. Livelihoods ................................................................................................................... 7 

vi 

2.2 Review of Related Literature ............................................................................................ 8 

2.2.1 Overview of Agriculture Sector in Rwanda .................................................................... 8 

2.2.2. Role of Agriculture in Economic Development ............................................................. 9 

2.2.3. The problem facing the agricultural sector .................................................................. 12 

2.2.3.1. The problem facing the agricultural sector at global level ........................................ 12 

2.3. Challenges facing agriculture sector in Rwanda ............................................................. 13 

2.4. Strategies to improve agricultural productivity .............................................................. 14 

2.5. Sustainable livelihoods .................................................................................................. 19 

CHAPTER THREE ••...•••.••••••.••••.•.•••.••••••••••••••••.•...•••...•••••••••••••••....•••••••••••••••.•••.•.•••••...••.• 21 

METHODOLOGY •••••••••...•.••••••••••••••......•••••••••.•••••••••.......••••••••••••••••••••••.....•...•.•••••••••..•••.• 21 

3.0. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 21 

3..Design ............................................................................................................................ 21 

3.2. Population ..................................................................................................................... 21 

3.3. Sampling strategies ........................................................................................................ 23 

3.4. Data collection methods ................................................................................................ 23 

3.5. Data collection instruments ............................................................................................ 24 

3.6. Data quality control ....................................................................................................... 24 

3.8. Procedure ...................................................................................................................... 24 

3.9. Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 24 

3.1 0. Ethical Consideration ............................................................................................................... 25 

3.11. Limitation .................................................................................................................... 25 

CHAPTER FOUR ••••..•••...•••••••••••••••••....•.••.•••.••••••••.••.•..••••••••••••.•.•••.•....•••••.••••••••......•..•...•. 27 

DATA PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS •••••..••••••••••••••••••••••••. 27 

4.0. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 27 

4.1. Household demographic characteristics ......................................................................... 27 

4.1.1. Gender Distribution .................................................................................................... 27 

4.1.2. Level of education ...................................................................................................... 28 

4.1.3. Household decision making structures/processes ........................................................ 29 

4.1.4 Age Distribution .......................................................................................................... 30 

4.1.5. Training status of farmers ........................................................................................... 32 

4.2 Farmers' knowledge toward land use consolidation ........................................................ 32 

vii 

4.2.1 Awareness about land use consolidation ...................................................................... 32 

4.2.2 Starting ofland use consolidation ............................................................................... 33 

4.2.3 Conceptualization of Land Use Consolidation ............................................................. 34 

4.2.4. Perceptions toward Land Use Consolidation ............................................................... 34 

4.3 Objective number one: To assess the crops grown before and after land use 

consolidation ........................................................................................................................ 35 

4.3. 1 Crops grown before involvement in Land Use Consolidation ....................................... 35 

4.3.2 Crops grown after involvement Land Use Consolidation ............................................. 36 

4.4 Objective number two: To determine the yield and profitability of crops grown before 

and after land use consolidation ............................................................................................ 37 

4.5 Objective Number three: ........................................ ......................................................... 39 

4.5.1 Challenges associated with implementation of land use consolidation .......................... 39 

4.6. Objective number four: To evaluate the extent and measures used to train farmers on 

land use consolidation for socio-economic development... .................................................... 40 

4.6.1 Access to training after land use consolidation ............................................................. 40 

4.6.2.The trainings required by farmers ................................................................................ 41 

Table 8: Challenges related to implementation ofland use consolidation .............................. 42 

4.7 Hypothesis tests .............................................................................................................. 43 

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................ 46 

DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................. 46 

5.0. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 46 

5.1. Discussion .................................................................................................................. ... 46 

5.2. Conclusion .. .................................................................................................................. 48 

5.3. Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 48 

5.4 Areas of for further research ............................................. ... ...................................... 48 

APPENDICES .................................................................................................................................. a 

Appendix 1: Informed Consent Form ...................................................................................... a 

Appendix 2: Research Questionnaire for farmers .................................................................... b 

Appendix 3: Administrative map ofMusanze District ............................................................ g