Dolomite, a remedy for acidity in agricultural soils, and increased production depends on it
INADES-Formation Burundi, involved in the correction of soil acidity in Burundi, presented the results of its work carried out in 3 of the country’s provinces: Cibitoke (Commune Mugina and Bukinanyana), Gitega (Commune Giheta) and Mwaro (Commune Ndava): Province Cibitoke (Commune Mugina and Bukinanyana); Province Gitega (Commune Giheta) and Province Mwaro (Commune Ndava).
With financial support from IFDC ” International Fertilizer Development
Center”, through the dolomite pilot project, INADES-Formation Burundi has distributed dolomite to farmers over 4 seasons, in Cibitoke province from season A of 2022 to season B of 2025; in Gitega province and in Mwaro for season B of 2024 and season B of 2025.
Three workshops to present the results of the dolomite pilot project were held on March 6, 12 and 21, 2025 in the provinces of Gitega, Cibitoke and Mwaro respectively. Each time, the audience was made up of administrative and technical departments from the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, project partners, beneficiaries and the media.
A project with very satisfactory results
A. In the commune of Giheta hills: Nyamugari, Gihehe, Rweru and Kibimba:
Ø 1,368 people, including 688 men and 680 women.
Ø The quantities of dolomite distributed were 451.375 tonnes.
Ø The area planted is 451.375 ha.
B. In commune Mugina and Bukinanyana. In Mugina, activities covered 7 hills: Gitebe, Rusagara, Rugendo, Rugajo, Muyange, Mugina and Butaramuka. In the same commune, 2,903 people benefited, including 2,123 men and 780 women. In Bukinanyana, activities covered 7 hills, namely: Shimwe, Mikoni, Gahabura, Kibaya II, Butara, Murengera and Bumba. A total of 2,700 people benefited, including 1,976 men and 724 women.
For both communes, the quantity of dolomite distributed is : 2.521,819 tonnes and the area sown was 1,175.48 ha.
C. In commune Ndava on the 4 hills of Matongo, Nyamurenge, Nyabisaka and Mpanuka:
Ø 1,245 people, including 828 men and 417 women.
Ø The quantity of dolomite distributed was 462.375 tonnes.
Ø 427,048 ha of sown area.
Important lessons learned :
Ø Grouping dolomite beneficiaries into blocks facilitates targeting, pH measurement, distribution, dolomite application and all
other limed field monitoring activities.
Ø The communal and hillside dolomite application launch sessions
enable beneficiaries to understand the different ways of doing
liming.
Ø The various experience-sharing visits to
demonstration and/or community learning fields enable the population to observe the crops grown and compare them with our own limed fields.
Ø Dolomite is most effective when applied within a well-integrated soil fertility management framework (LAE, Good Agricultural Practices and
integrated pest and disease management).
Ø The mauve color observed in the fields before liming disappeared in the fields after liming.
Ø After two years, on soil where dolomite has been applied, the soil pH begins to fall. Hence the need for a maintenance dose after 2 years.
Ø In the limed fields, the pH evolution was very significant compared to the fields amanded with organic matter only.
A project welcomed by satisfied beneficiaries
Ø The beneficiaries praised the project’s activities. They said that production had been very good thanks to the use of dolomite. Corn growers, for example, now have more storage space in their homes.
Ø Certain plant diseases are noticeable in limed fields.
INADES-Formation Burundi is sparing no effort to make its
contribution to correcting soil acidity, as studies have shown
that 73% of Burundi’s land is highly acidic.
Published by Richard HAVYARIMANA
Advocacy and Communication Officer
