Adoption Rates of Sustainable Agriculture Practices Among Smallholder Farmers in Rwanda's Mountainous Regions: An Ethnographic Study

Rwanda’s mountainous regions are characterized by smallholder farming communities who face challenges in adopting sustainable agricultural practices due to limited access to resources and knowledge. An ethnographic study was conducted involving semi-structured interviews with 50 smallholder farmers from four mountainous districts. Data collection methods included participant observation, focus group discussions, and document review. Farmers in the studied regions showed a moderate adoption rate of sustainable practices such as intercropping and organic fertilizers, influenced by proximity to urban markets and government extension services availability. Despite challenges, there is potential for increasing sustainable agriculture adoption through improved extension support and farmer education programmes. Develop local mentorship schemes and integrate traditional knowledge into agricultural training curricula to enhance sustainability practices among smallholder farmers. Agriculture Sustainability, Smallholders, Ethnography, Rwanda Mountainous Regions