Rwanda: Govt Launches Project to Restore Congo-Nile Divide

Source: allAfrica

The Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) has launched a new initiative aimed at restoring the Congo-Nile Divide through a comprehensive approach to combat deforestation and erosion while enhancing climate resilience in the Western, Northern and Southern provinces.

The "Building Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to Climate Variability in Rwanda's Congo-Nile Divide through Forest and Landscape Restoration" project, or CND project, will cover 250,000 hectares with forest restoration, and expand agroforestry over 2,000 hectares.

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Anastase Ndahimana, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at RFA, explained to The New Times that the project is designed to "transform degraded and vulnerable land in the western portion of Rwanda, which is currently unable to sustain livelihoods or adapt to climate change.

"The Congo-Nile Divide has suffered from deforestation due to charcoal production and timber harvesting," Ndahimana noted. "This project focuses on replanting trees and restoring the landscape."

Scheduled to run from 2024 to 2028, the CND project will target 10 districts, including Karongi, Ngororero, Nyabihu, Nyamasheke, Rubavu, Rusizi, and Rutsiro in Western Province; Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru in Southern Province; and Musanze in Northern Province.

As part of the project, about 4,500 hectares of indigenous forests in Nyungwe National Park will be restored, along with 500 hectares in Gishwati-Mukura National Park. This $50 million (approx. Rwf64 billion) initiative complements other ongoing projects in Western Province, such as agroforestry in Rutsiro District.

In Rutsiro's Gihango sector, residents have received agroforestry tree species like acaciella angustissima, bamboo, markhamia lutea, and alnus acuminata to help increase tree coverage and reduce erosion.

Jean Bosco Nzarinyurahe, a local farmer, highlighted the benefits of the agroforestry programme. "These trees are crucial for providing fodder for our livestock and combating erosion. Rutsiro has steep slopes, and we've experienced a lot of erosion and landslides, but these trees help prevent soil loss," he said.

Since 2020, over 52,000 trees have been planted in the Gihango sector, benefiting more than 600 families. The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has supported this reforestation effort.

Athanase Mukuralinda, CIFOR's Country Director, with over 20 years of experience in agroforestry, noted that the tree species were chosen not only to mitigate erosion but also to reduce soil acidity, eliminating the need for chemical fertilisers.

CND expected to benefit over one million people

Official figures from RFA suggest that the CND project will directly benefit approximately 1.2 million people, including 654,404 women, and is expected to create about 24,212 jobs in forest-dependent communities.

Key outcomes from the project include reduced exposure to landslides, floods, and soil erosion, along with greater awareness of climate risks, the value of forests, and climate adaptation options. Access to high-quality indigenous and agroforestry materials is also anticipated to increase.