Women smallholder farmers during COVID19 pandemic have continued their farming activities to facilitate community liverlihood resilience.

The first person in Rwanda was tested positive on March 14th ,2021 and after one week the government put in place measure to avoid the spread of the virus where total lock down was the first priority action adopted. Today in Rwanda 19846 people tested postif,18118 people recovered ,1457 active cases,271 deaths and the total test conducted since March 2020 up to march 10,2021 is 1,047,310.
The COVID-19 measurements affected particularly informal sector where women smallholder farmers were much affected in regard with movement and sell their products. Due to the need of food, agriculture activities were among activities with priority , even if the agriculture activities were allowed, women smallholder farmers were struggling to bargain with supplier to buy their production because suppliers taking advantage on the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Women farmers have increased their Production"

Ntakirutimana Marita, one of the women farmers in Ruheru sector under Action Aid -FVA program in Nyaruguru district said That "during lock down we were allowed to go to garden but the only constraint we faced during this pandemic especially in lock down was the bagging power with the suppliers where they wanted to have our production at low price".
With guidance of FVA staffs and government authorities, women smallholder farmers in Ruheru were able to regain their bagging power and were supported of seed provided by FVA in partnership with Aaction Aid Rwanda to facilitate the women to recover from the Loss and increase their Production to face the market challenges caused by COVID 19 pandemic and provided other other materials such masks, plastic hand wash and sanitizers which have enable to them to safely conduct their agriculture activities during the pandemic of COVI19.
within the pandemic difficulties today women smallholder farmers in Ruheru are celebrating the harvest where in the season A, they harvested Beans:1098 kg,Pea : 925 kg,Irish potatoes : 12229kg and Maize:900kg.

"Women farmers are celebrating the increased harvest during this season"

With ease of working environment, women smallholder farmers in Ruheru have committed to increase their production and to do orient market agriculture to upgrade their way of working to fit in the new way of working as this COVID-19 has shown as technology is on front line to facilitate the run of business.