Constraints analysis of family agriculture in Kirundo Province Northern of Burundi

In Burundi, family agriculture occupies more than 90% of the active population. That
sector accounts more than 50% of GDP. Before the civil war of 1993, Kirundo province was
deemed "breadbasket of the country" because the family farming was market-oriented.
Today, this region is the first province in Burundi who accuses a high rate of householders
who live in food insecurity. In order to conduct this study, 355 randomly selected farmers
were surveyed in all municipalities of the province. This preliminary study revealed that the
farmers had as major constraints: the small and land conflicts. The study case had identified
73 farmers among them who had not farmland and/ or land conflicts as constraints of
agricultural productivity. Two groups emerged: 42 farmers who were not able to fully exploit
their land and another group of 32 farmers with a high agricultural productivity.
Results from this study show that the major problems in the first group were: lack of applying
soil protection techniques, illiteracy, lack of credit which leads farmers to contract
moneylenders, lack of improved seed, etc. Moreover, the main strategy used by the second
group to boost their income is the practice of non-agricultural activities which influences
whole production system.