The government of Rwanda has secured $49.6 million aimed to green the eastern province that are vulnerable to drought.

The implementation of the six-year investment will be jointly executed by the Government of Rwanda through Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Enabel, the Belgian development agency.

The deal was signed on Friday, July 2.

The six-year project dubbed "Transforming Eastern Province through adaptation” was co-funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Government of Rwanda and other partners.

GCF has provided $33.7 million and $15.8 million was contributed by the Government of Rwanda and partners.

The project intends to restore over 60,000 ha of drought degraded landscapes into climate resilient ecosystems through reforestation, agroforestry, restoration of pasturelands, and erosion control measures in seven districts of the Eastern Province of Rwanda.

These include 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.

Speaking during the signing of the funding agreement, Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment said: "Rwanda welcomes the  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.”

She said 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.

Clean cooking investment

It will also promote improved clean and efficient cooking energy technologies to more than 100,000 households in the Eastern Province of Rwanda.

Uzziel Ndagijimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning reiterated: "We believe that the project will strongly transform Rwanda’s Eastern Province through adaptation and it will make it resilient to climate change.”

IUCN Regional Director for Eastern & Southern Africa, Luther Anukur said that with the continued impact of climate change, Africa is facing drought and floods.

"This new project 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. In partnership with the Rwanda Government, IUCN is committed to work together with various private sector and NGO partners for a systems wide change,” he said.