Resource information
Prior to the 1994 war, Rwanda had one of the best agricultural data bases on the African continent with a consistent time series on production, area, and yield data spanning the period from 1984 through 1992. This data base, drawn from annual surveys of a nationally representative random sample of approximately 1,240 farm households, was supplemented with a variety of specialized surveys conducted intermittently on topics such as input use, livestock production, natural resource management practices, non-farm income, etc. A key finding of these pre-war studies was that yields of most crops declined from 1984 through1991.
Objectives. The objectives of this policy brief are to (1) describe the post-war situation concerning production practices, comparing the post-war situation (when possible) to the pre- war situation, and (2) discuss the implications of the findings for the design of programs and policies to promote agricultural intensification through the use of improved inputs and conservation practices.
