Rwanda protecting farmland in densely populated nation

Rwanda’s capital embraces urban farming as development squeezes rare land

Eighty-four-year-old Mukarusini Purisikira had been a farmer before she fled the country to Congo during the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis. Upon returning, she said, her family's land, which had stretched across the hills, had been taken away for construction. She gestured toward Kigali's…

Rwanda protecting farmland in densely populated nation

KIGALI, Rwanda — The rhythmic sounds of construction muffle the thud of farmers’ hoes on a chilly morning in Rwanda ‘s capital, where new efforts aim to protect remaining agricultural land from relentless development in Africa’s most densely populated country.

Rwanda tries to protect farmland in Africa's most densely populated nation

Rwanda has started to use satellite imagery and strict land rules to protect farmland in its capital, Kigali, as development expands. Since September, the government has been mapping agricultural land and tracking new construction near farms and forests. Developers who…