Abstract: Soil erosion and declining agricultural productivity remain major challenges in Rwanda's hillside farming systems, highlighting the need for effective soil and water conservation (SWC) practices. This study evaluated the effectiveness of SWC practices in improving agricultural productivity in the Rwabicuma Hillside Irrigation Scheme, Southern Rwanda. Specifically, the study identified the SWC practices implemented, assessed their effects on crop productivity, and examined the relationship between SWC practices, crop yield improvement, and soil erosion reduction. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining structured questionnaires administered to 300 randomly selected farmers, interviews with 15 key informants, and field observations. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically.
The findings showed that terracing was the dominant SWC practice (34.29%), followed by terracing combined with mulching (29.21%), whereas cover crops were the least adopted (1.90%). Crop productivity increased significantly following the adoption of SWC practices, with mean yields rising from 5.84 ± 0.70 t ha⁻¹ before implementation to 10.33 ± 1.24 t ha⁻¹ after implementation, representing an overall increase of 56.52% (p < 0.0001). Integrated SWC practices demonstrated stronger positive relationships with crop yield improvement than terracing alone, with terrace plus mulching showing the strongest correlation (r = 0.82, p = 0.01).
The study concludes that integrating structural and biological SWC practices within hillside irrigation systems substantially enhances agricultural productivity while strengthening soil conservation. It recommends expanding farmer training, promoting integrated conservation practices, and strengthening institutional support to improve the sustainability of hillside agriculture in Rwanda.
Keywords: Agricultural productivity; hillside irrigation; Soil and water conservation; sustainable land management, terracing.
Title: Assessing Effectiveness of Soil and Water Conservation Practices for Enhancing Productivity: A Case Study of Rwabicuma Hillsides Irrigation Scheme
Author: Solange Umubyeyi, Pauline Niyomugabo, Christophe Mupenzi
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 127-137
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 29-August-2026
