Innovative smallholder farming in Rwanda – in pictures

A rain storm approaches marshland in Mbazi sector, Huye district, in southern Rwanda. The government has made a big push on agriculture, focusing particularly on small farmers in recognition of the fact that 60% of landholdings are of less than 0.7 hectares
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie Mukamusoni, 60, a widow with two daughters, lives in Mbazi sector, Huye. The Association for Integrated Development of Rwanda (Ardi), a local NGO partnered with Concern, gave her a cow, the manure from which has helped improve her harvest
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie has two small pieces of land, where she cultivates – among other things – beans, sorghum, cassava, bananas and pumpkins. Ardi put her in touch with a co-operative of similarly vulnerable people, with whom she has been able to cultivate and sell crops collectively
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie clears a field for planting with her grandson, Clement Nsengiyumva, who is nine. 'Years ago, when my husband was here, we used to have livestock,' says Epiphanie. 'But farming was not giving us much, as we didn’t know the right techniques'
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Almost 1 million people died in the Rwandan genocide. 'I actually have four children, but three were killed in 1994, so now I only have one,' says Epiphanie. 'At that time, I also had another baby to look after, a child that my husband had out of wedlock'
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie with a handful of sunflower seeds, which she will grind to make flour for a sauce for beans. Her involvement with the Ardi programme has served to bring her into closer contact with other people
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie sets off for the local market, a two-hour walk away. She has 2kg of beans to sell. She also carries 3kg of sunflower seeds, which she will have ground for cooking
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Nelanie Nyiransabimana, a market trader in Rugogwe, inspects Epiphanie's beans
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie's journey pays off as her 2kg load of beans is purchased by Nelanie Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Epiphanie has her 3kg of sunflower seeds ground, at a cost of 50 francs a kilo Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Ardi taught Epiphanie new techniques and provided follow-up support, helping to improve her productivity. 'Ardi taught us that we should plant grass to provide for our livestock,' she says. 'We also studied progressive terracing, and Ardi gave me a rain catcher for my roof'
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

'I received seeds, fertilisers, manure and compost from Ardi,' says Epiphanie. 'They gave me a watering can, and agricultural tools, such as a hoe, and seeds'
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide

Helped by the government's efforts, agricultural production in Rwanda has exceeded consumption for the past three years, insulating the country from price rises elsewhere in east Africa. However, the national agriculture budget faces a $325m funding gap
Photograph: Mike Goldwater/Concern Worldwide