Bubanza : fertilizer distribution in Bubanza – a crisis dividing farmers and authorities

The distribution of chemical fertilizers, particularly urea fertilizers, has caused a major crisis in the district of Bubanza (western Burundi). Since the release of more than 10 tons of urea, tensions between farmers and administration officials have steadily escalated. The former accuse the latter of hoarding the majority of the stock and leaving only crumbs for the local population. This situation culminated on Monday with brawls outside the distribution centers.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Tensions reached a peak on the night of March 30, 2025, when local residents reported that numerous bags of urea, estimated at around 100 bags, had been moved in the middle of the night to an unknown destination. “We saw vehicles loading bags of urea during the night. There was a large quantity,” said a local resident.

Local authorities, after learning of these allegations, arrested and interrogated the person in charge of the Gihanga stockpile by the National Intelligence Service (SNR) of Bubanza province. He was taken to the prosecutor’s office to answer questions about the disappearance of these fertilizers, disappearances which, according to several witnesses, implicate local officials.

Scenes of tension and violence

The situation on the ground is tense. On Monday, farmers, who had paid for their fertilizers, gathered in front of the municipal stockpile, located not far from the Bubanza stadium. Some arrived at the site as early as 3 a.m., hoping to be served before others, as the quantities available were insufficient to meet demand. The district permanent secretary, a specialist in managing similar crises, was dispatched to try to manage the situation.

Despite attempts at distribution based on the registration of heads of 10 households, tensions continued to grow. Some farmers expressed frustration at the ineffectiveness of the method, particularly in areas where clientelism seemed to influence the selection of beneficiaries. In the town center, for example, where more than 100 farmers applied, it was very difficult to choose among the many applicants, even when applying partisan criteria.

Violent scenes erupted, particularly in some villages of the district, where fights broke out between farmers due to the lack of equality and poor resource management.

Fertilizers for a few

While some farmers were supposed to receive an amount of fertilizers corresponding to their payments, the reality was quite different. Each farmer, whether they had paid for one or several bags, returned with only 25 kg of fertilizers. However, arrangements were made in some cases where beneficiaries received more, but these cases were the exception rather than the norm. Many farmers complained that they had paid for fertilizers intended for agricultural season C, but had still not received the full amount they had paid for. This delay could have disastrous consequences for the agricultural production in the region. Moreover, many farmers held payment stubs for agricultural seasons A and C, but the permanent secretary, overwhelmed by the crowd, did not consider the risk of canceling these receipts.

A growing black market

The crisis has also fueled a black market for fertilizers. Indeed, a 50-kg bag of urea, which should officially be sold for 66,000 Burundi francs to the company FOMI (Organo-Mineral Fertilizers), fetches an exorbitant price of 250,000 francs on the informal market. This has fueled accusations of misappropriation and abuse by some officials.

Mitakataka : a siimilar situation

The situation in Mitakataka, another zone of ​​the Bubanza district, has not been any better. There too, farmers have faced similar challenges : missing quantities of fertilizers, selective distribution, and palpable tensions between beneficiaries. The situation is similar in other zones of the district, where farmers are fighting to access fertilizer stocks that are insufficient to meet the population’s needs.

A call to action

The fertilizer distribution crisis in Bubanza raises serious questions about the management of public resources and the responsibility of local authorities in the fair distribution of these vital resources for farmers. While investigations are underway, farmers, on the verge of despair, are demanding an urgent response from the authorities to ensure more transparent and fair fertilizer distribution before the situation spirals out of control.

If the crisis is not resolved quickly, the consequences for agricultural production in Bubanza province could be dramatic, seriously affecting food security and farmers’ incomes.

——-

A man takes bags of chemical fertilizers out of a warehouse in Bubanza, western Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)