Residents of Nyabihu and Musanze districts have expressed optimism after a project designed to mitigate climate change and curb disasters stareted bearing fruit.

The four-year scheme, dubbed ‘Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change, in north-western Rwanda; implemented through Community Based Adaptation (RV3CBA) was launched two years ago.

It is expected to cost around $10 million (about Rwf7 billion).

The project is set to benefit over 38,200 households from both districts which are prone to disasters and are usually affected by flooding during the rainy season, according to officials.

The main activities being carried out include tree planting, erosion control through terracing and relocating people living in high risk zones, among others.

Residents say that the area is now resistant to soil erosion as a result of using terraces and other measures to curb running water.

"Before terraces were set up, soil erosion was rampant here and our crops were usually washed away, we were always worried about harvest and our lives were also at risk,” said Alphonsine Nambaje, from Jenda Sector, in Nyabihu District.

Produce has also increased due to controlled soil erosion, she said.

Another resident, only identified as Iradukunda, said, "Previously, Irish potatoes could not grow well due to poor farming methods and severe soil erosion, but since we started growing on terraces, our produce has increased”.

Terraces have been set up on over 800 hectares and thousands of bamboo trees planted in the area, according to Innocent Musabyimana, the director of planning at the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Musabyimana added that bamboo trees were planted along Nyamukongoro and Kinoni rivers to curb soil erosion.

Regarding relocating people from high risk zones, he said the process is ongoing and over 60 per cent have been compensated. It is expected that the others will also be relocated this year, he said

"Construction of over 200 houses in a ‘green village’ will start soon. The study has been finalised and the contractor is available.

‘‘The houses will have rain water harvesting systems and equipped with biogas,” he saidThe project is being supervised by a local NGO, Association pour la Conservation de la Nature au Rwanda (ACNR).

Nyabihu vice mayor in charge of Economic Affairs, Angel Mukaminani, said residents in general had benefited from the project.

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