By The Inspirer Writer.

Production of several major crops, including rice, potatoes, beans, bananas and maize, increased during Rwanda’s 2026 Season B compared with the same agricultural season in 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR).

The findings are contained in the Seasonal Agricultural Survey (SAS) for Season B 2026, released on September 22, 2026. The survey shows that about 1.41 million hectares, equivalent to nearly 59% of Rwanda’s total land area, were used for agricultural activities during the season.

Of this area, 1.02 million hectares were dedicated to seasonal crops, while about 526,000 hectares were under perennial crops.

Maize production reached 122,370 tonnes in Season B 2026, up from 117,711 tonnes during the same season in 2025, representing a 4% increase. The area planted with maize also rose by 2% to 94,823 hectares.

The Eastern Province accounted for the largest share of maize production, particularly in Nyagatare, Gatsibo, Kayonza and Bugesera districts.

Potato production rises 5.7%

Potato production increased by 5.7% to 331,963 tonnes in Season B 2026, compared with 314,093 tonnes recorded during the same season in 2025.

The area under potato cultivation stood at 48,424 hectares, an increase of 5.4% from the previous year. Nyabihu, Rubavu, Musanze and Burera were among the leading potato-producing districts.

Bean production also increased, reaching 243,775 tonnes nationally, compared with 240,721 tonnes in Season B 2025, representing a 1.3% rise.

Nyagatare, Kirehe, Bugesera, Ngoma and Gatsibo recorded the highest bean production.

Despite the increase in output, the area planted with beans declined slightly by 0.4% to 333,735 hectares. Average bean productivity stood at about 700 kilograms per hectare.

Banana production recorded one of the more significant increases, reaching 1.23 million tonnes in Season B 2026, up 5.6% from 1.17 million tonnes recorded in 2025.

Bananas were grown on 250,772 hectares, with average productivity estimated at 12.4 tonnes per hectare.

The Eastern Province was the leading banana-producing region, with Gatsibo, Ngoma and Kirehe among the major producing districts. Muhanga District in the Southern Province was also among the leading producers.

Rice production in marshlands recorded a 10.1% increase, rising from 72,976 tonnes in Season B 2025 to 80,325 tonnes in 2026.

Average rice productivity reached 4.6 tonnes per hectare, while the total area under rice cultivation stood at 17,534 hectares.

Gisagara, Nyagatare, Gatsibo, Bugesera and Rusizi were the leading rice-producing districts.

Fertiliser use remains widespread

The SAS Season B 2026 report also highlights continued use of fertilisers among Rwandan farmers as an important component of crop production.

Organic fertiliser was used by 81.3% of farmers. Its use reached 81.7% among small-scale farmers and 71.3% among farmers cultivating larger areas.

Inorganic fertiliser was used by 57.5% of farmers nationwide. Usage stood at 56.7% among small-scale farmers and 80.2% among large-scale farmers.

Among inorganic fertilisers, DAP was the most widely used at 40%, followed by urea at 35.5% and NPK at 20.3%.

The survey also found that 13.1% of farmers used irrigation during the season. Irrigation was used by 11.5% of small-scale farmers and 56.2% of farmers cultivating larger areas.

Among farmers who irrigated their crops, 56.9% used modern irrigation systems. Lakes and rivers were the main sources of irrigation water, accounting for 42.4%, while groundwater accounted for 30.3%.

NISR said irrigation continues to play an important role in helping farmers cope with climate-related challenges and improve their capacity to maintain adequate agricultural production.