The Central African nation of Burundi has been in the midst of conflict for many years. Sandwiched between Rwanda, Tanzania and Zaire, it often experiences the side affects of conflict in those countries as well. The commune of Mutumba, in the province of Karuzi, belongs to one of the poorest regions in Burundi. It covers an area of 182.7 square kilometres and has a population of 26,705.
Crop yields are low, because of poor and eroded soils, as is livestock productivity.
Access to the commune is very difficult. This project, which has been desigend through grass-roots participatory planning, is to improve agricultural production and protect the environment by implementing soil fertilisation techniques on 900 small holder farms, reforesting 390 ha, setting up an efficient distribution network of agricultural inputs and creating pilot demostration plots for a total of 16 ha. The project also is meant to increase animal production by improving the feeding and health of cattle, the improving of genetic breeding charasteristic and the creation of 15 pre-cooperative groups to facilitate the promotion of livestock production activities are stressed within the project. Also an improving access to the Commune by rehabilitating of 3.3 km road is in the project. Rapid population growth has led to the fragmentation of agricultural land into very small farms, an to an increasing deterioration of the ecosystem.