Burera District, 18 June 2026 – The KUNGAHARA Burera (KungaBu) Project successfully convened its fourth Steering Committee (SC) meeting at Burera District Office, bringing together key stakeholders to review project progress, discuss implementation challenges, and provide strategic guidance for the project’s final phase.
The meeting was attended by Steering Committee members representing Burera District, including the Executive Secretary, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, the Finance Division Manager, and the Director of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. Representatives from the European Union Delegation to Rwanda also participated, with the Programme Technical Assistant attending in person and the KUNGAHARA Programme Manager joining online. ARECO-RWANDA NZIZA was represented by its Chairperson, National Coordinator, and KungaBu project staff. Representatives from Butaro Sector and PDD were also present.
This fourth Steering Committee meeting followed the third ordinary meeting held on 18 December 2025 and was particularly significant as it precedes the final ordinary Steering Committee meeting before the project’s closure, scheduled for early November 2026. Given the importance of the remaining implementation period, members were expected to make key decisions to ensure the successful completion of project activities.
The morning session focused on reviewing and approving the minutes of the third Steering Committee meeting, assessing the overall progress achieved so far, discussing challenges encountered during implementation, and identifying measures to accelerate the completion of pending activities. Discussions highlighted that the project has experienced significant delays that affected the initial work plan, making the coming months critical for achieving project objectives within the remaining timeframe.
Following the indoor discussions, Steering Committee members conducted a field visit in the afternoon to observe ongoing project interventions and assess recent developments on the ground. The delegation visited the irrigation development site in Biyove Village (Butaro Sector), where one of the project’s key outputs is the development of 20 hectares of irrigated hillside using a solar-powered irrigation system.
During the visit, members observed substantial progress in the ongoing construction works. The water storage pond, which will have a capacity of 500 cubic metres, is currently under construction, while most of the required equipment, including solar panels and metal structures for supporting the solar system, had already been delivered and stored at the site. The laying of the main underground pipelines had also commenced, demonstrating continued progress toward the completion of this strategic infrastructure.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Steering Committee members adopted several important resolutions aimed at ensuring the successful completion and sustainability of project achievements. First, all implementing partners were urged to expedite the implementation of pending activities, particularly construction works, and ensure their completion by the end of August 2026. Second, the Committee emphasized the need to strengthen capacity-building efforts for beneficiary communities that will eventually take ownership of the agricultural infrastructures developed by the project, including post-harvest drying and storage facilities as well as the small-scale irrigation system. Members noted that the effective implementation of this resolution may require an extension of the project period to ensure adequate preparation for sustainable management and scaling of the investments.
Financed by the European Union Delegation to Rwanda and jointly implemented by Burera District and ARECO-RWANDA NZIZA, the three-year KUNGAHARA Burera (KungaBu) Project aims to increase food production in Kamiranzovu Marshland while improving the livelihoods and resilience of local communities. As the project enters its final months, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to working closely together to ensure that the remaining activities are completed successfully and that the project’s benefits continue to serve the people of Burera well beyond its implementation period.
