Background: Agriculture contributes a third of Rwanda’s GDP and is the main source of income for rural households, with 80% of the total population involved in crop and/or livestock production. The Government of Rwanda established the Muvumba rice project in 2011 amidst a policy shift towards rice as a national staple crop. However, the indiscriminate use of pesticides by local, low-income rice growers has raised concerns about potential human, animal and ecosystem health impacts as pesticide distribution and application are not strictly regulated. Although pesticide use can directly influence farmer health and ecosystems, little is known about small-scale farmers’ pesticide application practices and knowledge. We aimed to assess local application practices and understanding of pesticides to identify gaps in farmers’ knowledge on safe pesticide use and deviations from established standards and recommended practices. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of observations of pesticide practices and interviews with 206 small-scale rice growers in Nyagatare District, Rwanda, in March 2017. Descriptive statistical analyses (sample means, standard deviation and range) were performed, and we evaluated the association between farmers’ personal protective equipment (PPE) use and their education level and literacy status. Results: Over 95% of observed farmers did not comply with minimum standards for safe pesticide use, and 80% of respondents reported that they stored pesticides in their homes without personal protection measures. Education and literacy level were not significantly associated with PPE use. Additionally, 90% of respondents had experienced adverse health effects after using pesticides including intense headache, dizziness, stomach cramps, skin pain and itching, and respiratory distress. All respondents also reported animals in and around the rice scheme (cattle, birds, and fish) behaving abnormally or with signs consistent with pesticide exposure in the six months preceding the study, which may be linked to pesticide-contaminated water. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates potential for high exposure to pesticides for farmers, their families, and animals sharing rice-growing or downstream environments and points to the need for training on safe and effective pesticide use.

Cattle farming is important for the socio-economic development of Rwanda, representing 12% of the national gross domestic product (GDP). In general, livestock production is a primary source of income. Recognizing the importance of cattle, the Government of Rwanda introduced the Girinka program in 2006 to reduce poverty and childhood malnutrition by providing poor people with dairy cows. The sustainability of the Girinka program relies on the successful breeding of cattle. Artificial Insemination (AI) is a method that can enhance cattle reproduction, but many Girinka beneficiaries did not have the requisite knowledge to maximize the success rate of AI by tracking the estrus cycle (heat detection) of their cattle.This project aimed to study the effect of training Girinka farmers on heat detection using the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) materials on cattle AI. A two-day training was provided to 74 Girinka cattle farmers. The cattle AI success rate and the farmers’ knowledge of heat detection were measured.The overall knowledge of farmers on cattle estrus cycle significantly increased from 37.16% pre-intervention to 92.34% post-intervention (P=0.008). The AI success rate significantly increased from 44% pre-intervention to 58.7% post-intervention (P<0.001).The study showed that by providing an evidence-based training to farmers on heat detection and estrus cycle in cattle could increase the success rate of AI. The same training is recommended for all Girinka beneficiaries in Rwanda. Longer term follow-up and scaling-up of the project should be considered to maximize the benefits.