Most families are struggling to put food on the table, dealing a blow to war against malnutrition
High prices of staple food, vegetables and fruits are taking a toll on families in Kigali. Farmers say the rising production cost attributed to rising prices of manure and seeds has made food expensive in the city.
While the government aims to cut malnutrition in children under five from 38 percent to 18 percent by 2024,seed prices for expensive food parents are finding it harder to afford basic foodstuff as prices increase.
In some Kigali’s major markets, vegetables, fruits and other food such as peas, beans, and maize have more than doubled in prices compared with the same period in 2021. For instance, a kilogramme of tomatoes costs Rwf1,800 at Kimironko market from less than Rwf900 last year in March.
The cost of a kilogramme of red onions has increased to Rwf960 from Rwf600, while that of a kilogramme of dry beansincreased from Rwf800 to Rwf1,200.
"Before, most affordable meal for my family was rice, beans, tomatoes, and onions. It would cost me less than Rwf2,000. Today, a single tomato is Rwf100, and a very small onion is the same amount. We have stopped tomatoes for now because they are expensive,” said Aline Giramata, a mother of two.
Ms Giramata works hard to afford maize and sorghum flour for porridge, which she says is the most important food for her children for now. She is propelled to make more money from her tailoring job as prices continue to go up.
The Consumer Price Index for January 2022 indicates that food prices increased by 5.1 percent compared with December 2021. The cost of vegetables increased by 11.8 percent while that of cereals increased by 2.1 percent in urban areas.
Farmers who spoke to Rwanda Today claimed price of fertilisers and seeds have skyrocketed since mid-last year. In some agro-shops in Kigali, fertiliser prices and seeds have increased dramatically.
For instance, a 50kg bag of DAP fertiliser costs Rwf32,650 from Rwf30,750 in May 2021. The price of a 50kg bag of urea fertiliser increased from Rwf23,500 to Rwf28,000 while NPK fertiliser price increased from Rwf32,500 to Rwf35,900 per 50kg.
“The stakes are too high with farmers who want to invest in vegetable and fruit farming. Even if one invested this much money, there is no guarantee that you will get the money back with the current heavy rains and climate change issues,” said Ndayambaje Christophe, a farmer in Gakenke district
The latest forecast by Rwanda Meteorology Agency indicates that an enhanced amount of rainfall will likely result in floods and landslides in the northwestern and southwestern parts of the country.