Socio-economic, environmental, and irrigation water management challenges in rice production in Nyamugari marshland of Rwanda

Rwanda continues to experience a rice production deficit, meeting only about 45% of national rice consumption needs. Marshland areas such as Nyamugari, though are prioritised in national and district-level development policies, contribute insufficiently due to persistent agronomic, socio-economic, and infrastructural constraints. This study assessed the factors (such as gender, age, education level, marital status, water source, water scarcity, availability of irrigation tools, improved agricultural technologies, use of fertiliser and quality seeds, farmer general knowledge, government and private sector intervention) affecting rice cultivation in Nyamugari Marshland, Southern Province of Rwanda, from transplanting to - harvesting. Data were collected through structured farmer surveys and analysed using Spearman correlation in IBM SPSS 29 and Origin Pro 2025. Results showed that water availability and irrigation practices were significantly associated with rice yield, underscoring the importance of integrated water resource management adaptation. The use of fertilisers and quality seeds, and training on water management. also positively correlated with rice yields. Socio-demographic factors, particularly age, education level, and marital status, significantly influenced farming efficiency and access to resources, with younger, educated, and unmarried farmers showing greater adaptability, while older and married farmers faced financial constraints the most. Government and community-led initiatives were linked to improved irrigation infrastructure and farmer support, though with varying effectiveness. In contrast, gender and general agricultural knowledge showed no significant associations with rice yields. These findings highlight the need for targeted, locally adapted interventions to improve rice production in Nyamugari Marshland.