Mupenzi Valentin, who once made a living by illegally hunting animals in Volcanoes National Park, has turned his life around. He now works with others in his community as a potato farmer.
Mupenzi, a 49-year-old father of four and husband to one wife, lives in Kinigi Sector, Musanze District. He says he used to be a poacher but has now transitioned into agriculture, providing employment to fellow community members.
“I started poaching when I was just eight years old. I would go with my parents, helping them carry bamboo which they used to set traps in the forest. That’s how I learned the trade. When tourism began to grow in our area, we were organized into cooperatives to help carry tourists’ luggages. From that, I saved enough capital to start farming potatoes and pyrethrum.” He shared.
He continued:
“I began potato farming in 2005, rotating it with pyrethrum. Pyrethrum is more profitable in some ways, as it doesn’t require as much investment as potatoes. I started farming on just 20 Ares (0.2 hectares), and before that, I had already grown pyrethrum. The money I earned from that allowed me to buy potato seeds. I gradually expanded to 2.5 hectares. Now, I farm on 7 hectares and also serve as an agriculture advisor in our sector of Kinigi. I produce certified potato seeds and practice environmentally friendly farming. I don’t burn crop residue, as it pollutes the air and destroys biodiversity. I can also report any poaching who can come across.“
Mupenzi says his life and that of his family has greatly improved, and his children now attend good schools.
“I never had the chance to attend school, which is something I regret. But I’ve chosen to work hard so that my children can get a quality education, thanks to the income from potato farming. Beyond just paying school fees, I asked myself: what more can I do to support quality education in Rwanda? So, I paid for my wife’s education, and together we started Early Childhood Development (ECD) which she now leads. I feel very proud of that.”
Nsengimana Claudien, the mayor of Musanze district, thanks the former poachers like Mupenzi who turned their lives around.
“Today, many farmers in Kinigi were once poachers. But they listened to advice, left behind illegal activities, and now work alongside the government to protect the environment.”
Mupenzi is one of 494 former poachers who were reintegrated into society. He currently invests over 3 million Rwandan Francs (RWF) in seeds, wages, and other inputs. From his 7-hectares farm, he now yields about 25 tons of potatoes each season and earning over 5 million RWF.
