CONTRIBUTION OF FUNCTIONAL FOOD TO THE FARMERS’ SOCIO-ECONOMIC WELLBEING IN RWANDA: A STUDY OF CARROTS FARMERS IN NYABIHU DISTRICT

Functional food farming and vegetable production in particular offer an economic opportunity as they generate income for the farmers and people in areas where these kinds of products are cultivated. This study assesses the contribution of functional food to the farmers’ socioeconomic well-being in Rwanda with a focus on carrot farmers in the Nyabihu district, Rwanda. The study is descriptive with a mixed approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods with a target population of 170 carrot farmers from whom a sample size of 119 respondents was selected. Data were collected using a questionnaire and interview and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings reveal that carrot farming generates income and employment opportunities for rural farmers and people in the area, which in turn permits them to meet their various daily expenses and improves their health conditions. Functional food farmers also face some challenges which include shortage of farming land, pests and diseases, soil erosion and landslides and unstable prices of input amongst others. However, land consolidation, spraying crops against diseases, and provision of loans are among the measures to address such challenges. Different stakeholders including the government, the private sector and NGOs should work in synergy to create a favorable and enabling environment that supports people in rural areas to fully participate in functional food farming.