Press Statement: Season B labor opportunities and Season A harvests support food access and availability in Rwanda (30.03.2016)

Poor households are currently engaging in Season B agricultural labor, including land preparation and planting. It is expected the April to May lean season will be mild given average to above­ average Season A harvests as the ongoing El Niño contributed to favourable cropping conditions. With adequate household stocks and typical incomeearning opportunities, most poor households are expected to remain in None (IPC Phase 1) until Season B harvesting begins in May.

However, Season A harvests were below average for the third consecutive season in Kayonza, Kirehe, and Nyagatare Districts of Eastern Semi­Arid Agropastoral livelihood zone. As a result, many households are atypically dependent on food market purchases. Although agricultural labor income supported food access in February and March, labor opportunities will seasonally decline in April, reducing purchasing capacity. An increasing number of poor households are likely to be Stressed (IPC Phase 2) during the April to May lean season.

As of March 29, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that Rwanda is hosting 75,700 refugees from Burundi, with nearly 98 percent in Mahama and Kigali camps. Some refugees continue to seek labor opportunities in areas surrounding the camps, contributing to a reduction in labor wages and inflationary trends in some areas. Refugee populations remain Stressed (IPC Phase 2!), but only with continued humanitarian assistance.

UNHCR Map – Burundi Situation: Displacement of Burundians into neighbouring countries (as of 20. July 2015)

My thoughts after seeing the UNHCR Refugee Map of fleeing Burundian people to neighbouring countries: 

If you calculate the numbers from the UNHCR the numbers are staggering. The number of refugees from Burundi in neighboring countries is totally 177,503 people. That is a giant number and in my country that would be a big town and great urban area of people. So if this numbers doesn’t make your mind bubble and think about the situation in Burundi, because well, that amount of people wouldn’t leave if there wasn’t reasons. So now we’re in a situation where the Transit camps and Refugee camps are getting filled. There been worries about the situation in the DRC or Democratic Republic of Congo, because of the old refugees after the Rwanda crisis and the DRC wars has made the situation in the Kivu’s regions will make tensions if the reports are right. Let’s hope that the people who have fled from Burundi will get into a good space. Or in a short amount of time go back and feel safe in their home country. Peace.