PIP: Results of a 1990 survey are the basis for a discussion of the spread of wheat cultivation in the Byumba highlands of Rwanda. The highlands are among the most densely populated areas of Rwanda, with an estimated 370 persons per sq km compared to the national average of 272. The region offers ideal temperature and rainfall conditions for wheat cultivation. 76% of the cultivable lands of the region are considered suitable for wheat. Wheat is among crops that Rwanda would like to produce internally in greater quantity to reduce import requirements. Population pressure has led to division of plots, so that at present, 57.3% of households have less than 1 hectare of land. Dispersion of plots has also become a problem. A wide variety of crops in addition to wheat are cultivated in the Byumba highlands. The number of hectares devoted to wheat has increased from 140 in 1983 to 2902 in 1990. The increase is due to the growing number of cultivators growing a small amount of wheat rather than to increased size of production units. 68% of wheat cultivators harvested less than 200 kg in 1990. The subsistence nature of most agriculture in the Byumba highlands has limited the spread of wheat cultivation, as households seek to produce an adequate and varied food supply for their own consumption. The small size of holdings has limited the feasibility of technical advances in wheat cultivation for local growers. Many households devote space to crops such as sweet potatoes that do not produce well at their relatively high altitudes. Encouraging greater cultivation of wheat will require an improved marketing system and a sufficiently high price to allow growers to purchase the foodstuffs they forego planting. Steps should be taken to limit the division of land holdings and to improve cultivation techniques. It will be necessary as well to limit population growth through family planning in order to lessen demographic pressure on the limited cultivable lands.