Can Sustainable Agriculture mean Agricultural Productivity?

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This book examines the extent to which farmers in Gikongoro (esp. Nyamagabe district) in Southwestern Rwanda can improve food productivity by applying sustainable agriculture principles. The farmers themselves have, through a questionnaire-based survey, assessed their productivity as low. Their assessment is supported by a literature review. The causes and reasons behind the situation are analysed and discussed, as are the effects. The study reveals that demographic pressure, deforestation, soil erosion and land degradation are important factors contributing to the problem. These factors are interlinked and strengthen each other. The analysis from the study suggests that conventional agriculture or industrial agriculture may not solve the problem of regional food insecurity or mitigate environmental degradation. However, sustainable agriculture could improve simultaneously agricultural productivity, food security and mitigate environmental degradation, but it requires new sustainable technologies, proper planning and strategies, food conservation, transportation (roads) as well as investments in agriculture production and education.

Born in March 1972, Jean (Christian) Niyongabo obtained a master¿s degree in International Environmental Science (M.Sc.) at Lund University in 2005. Currently, he is working as a Senior Officer at the County Administrative Board in Skåne (a government authority in the Skåne region, Sweden), in the Environmental department, Water Resources Management.