Observations from Rwanda: July 20, 2022

The Campus Center of the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) at sunrise, with Lake Kilimbi in the background. Note that many trees have few leaves at this point during the dry season, which extends from May into September. June 30, 2022.
RICA laborers harvesting soybean by hand, with the campus in the background. June 29, 2022.
RICA laborers cut soybean plants with a hand sickle, then carry bundles of plants to the wagon for transport to the threshing location. July 4, 2022.
Threshing soybeans – the only equipment needed is a tarp and a stick. RICA’s campus and Lake Kilimbi are in the background. July 4, 2022.
Casual laborers threshing and winnowing soybeans. The process of harvesting and threshing by hand is labor-intensive! July 4, 2022.
RICA students learning to drive a tractor – in this case a prototype electric tractor. June 29, 2022.
Construction workers melting tar for the process of roof construction of new housing units. June 28, 2022.
Young man fishing on Lake Kilimbi. June 26, 2022.
Mowing RICA’s new football field. Indonzi and Ifundi Halls are in the background. These contain the farm shop, mechanization lab, soils teaching lab, and a classroom. July 4, 2022.
An Auger Buzzard resting on a Candelabra Tree. July 4, 2022.
A Black-headed Gonolek in Umusambi Village, a wetland area and crane sanctuary east of Kigali. July 1, 2022.
A Red-chested Sunbird in Umusambi Village. July 1, 2022.

2 thoughts on “Observations from Rwanda: July 20, 2022”

  1. Wondering how many bushel of soybeans/acre? Wondering what type of fish are edible from the lake? And thank you for the beautiful birds!!

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    1. Still have not seen a final yield value for this soybean field, but it’s in the ballpark of 22-25 bu/acre. Not that great by Nebraska standards. We expect yields on RICA’s irrigated fields to steadily increase as we’re able to build soil quality.

      The main fish harvested from Lake Kilimbi – and other lakes in the area – is tilapia.

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