Firm turns vast marsh into farmland

KIRUNDO TOWN, BURUNDI - On a recent December morning, Burundian farmer John Ahiboneye stood wearing his rain boots in a rippling green paddy field that stretched beyond sight.

The field, in the southwestern suburbs of Kirundo Town in the country's northeast, used to be unfit for growing rice until STECOL Corporation undertook an irrigation and water conservancy project that covers more than 538 hectares of land.

The Chinese company started work on the project in September 2014, with completion approved by December last year. Vast areas of marsh have been transformed into usable farmland thanks to its efforts.