Muko Agriculture and Food Security Project

The Muko Agriculture and Food Security Project in Rwanda aims to empower local farming communities with technical skills and food security.

By building the capacity of 500 small-scale farmers through training and extension services, The Salvation Army supports project participants in gaining financial literacy skills and sets them up to be part of a Village Savings and Loans Group. As members of the association pool their savings, access to loans becomes available, which helps them to develop small businesses and other enterprises, enabling them to cope with their basic everyday needs. Participants have realised that by regularly saving small coins, they can achieve great results to boost their family’s economic security.

In addition to poverty alleviation, this project also has a high focus on conservation agriculture, a method of farming that promotes long-term soil health, plant biodiversity and resilience to heat and drought, which are becoming more prevalent in today’s world.

The Salvation Army supports communities to organise into Village Savings and Loans Groups in countries all over the world. The Muko Agriculture and Food Security Project has 20 Village Savings and Loan Associations, with over 500 direct participants.

The Salvation Army has also boosted their efforts by providing more than 500 small livestock (comprising sheep, goats or pigs), which as well as helping the participants to develop their business, also provides them with manure to use in agriculture-related activities.

Before, I struggled to find enough manure to use in agriculture due to the fact that I didn’t have livestock. With this goat, I am now generating manure from it and expect an increase of the harvest. We thank The Salvation Army for this meaningful and important support to the community.

Mr Bizimana Augustin, Kavumu village, Tuzamurane Village Savings and Loan Association, Rwanda