A rice farming project in Kirehe district. Land reclamation projects have turned the once drought prone Eastern Province into a national food basket.
Rwanda has received funding that will be used to restore over 60,000 hectares of drought-degraded landscapes into climate resilient ecosystems in the Eastern Province
Project funding agreements were signed today July 2, 2021 in Kigali between the Government, Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
The project “Transforming Eastern Province through adaptation” (TREPA) with a GCF contribution of $33.7million and an additional $15.8million mobilized as co-financing from the Government of Rwanda and other project executing entities.
The project intends to restore over 60,000 ha of drought-degraded landscapes into climate resilient ecosystems through re-forestation, agroforestry, restoration of pasturelands, and erosion control measures in 7 districts of the Eastern Province namely; Bugesera, Kayonza, Kirehe, Gatsibo, Ngoma, Nyagatare and Rwamagana districts.
In particular, the project will contribute to the rehabilitation of approximately 6,545 ha of degraded smallholder forests and their sustainable management under Private Forests Management Units (PFMU) approach.
The six-year project will be executed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in collaboration with Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) and Enabel, the Belgian development agency, as Executing Entities.
During the agreement signing, Dr. Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment said: “Rwanda welcomes the TREPA project approval by GCF Board. The Ministry of Environment commits to its successful implementation working with IUCN as an accredited entity, Enabel as an executing entity and all implementing partners.”
The project will develop climate resilient markets and supply chains to incentivize public and private investments in forests, increase the capacity of communities to renew and sustainably manage forests and agroforestry resources, and support smallholder farmers to adopt climate-resilient agriculture.
It will also promote improved clean and efficient cooking energy technologies to more than 100,000 households in the Eastern Province.
“We believe that the TREPA project will strongly transform Rwanda’s Eastern Province through adaptation and it will make it resilient to climate change,” said Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.
IUCN Regional Director for Eastern & Southern Africa, Luther Anukur reaffirmed IUCN’s commitment to support Rwanda government and its partners towards a systems wide change in climate resilience.
“With the continued impact of climate change, Africa is facing more frequent droughts and floods. This new project TREPA seeks to contribute to Rwanda’s improved adaptation to climate change through a holistic approach with communities living in the degraded landscapes of Eastern Rwanda,” Anukur said.
On behalf of the Belgian government, Jean Van Wetter, Managing Director of Enabel, said global climate challenges require local and adapted solutions as well as multi-stakeholder and integrated approaches.
“We are strongly committed to the success of this project and to contribute to Rwanda’s efforts in fighting climate change, promoting sustainable resource management, and improving the livelihoods and resilience of its people.”
