Climate-related events like heavy rainfall or too little Chapter 9 247 rainfall occur more frequently than in years past and are affecting human wellbeing. Droughts are often responsible for famine, food shortages, a reduction in plant and animal species, and displacement of people in search of food and pasture. At times these have led to conflicts over different land resources, as was the case for protected areas. In the past 10 years, these disasters have occurred throughout the country, exacerbated by poor farming practices, deforestation, and environmental degradation. These climatic events have affected health, water quality, transportation, and agriculture, leaving the country drained of its wealth and increasing the level of poverty. The poor are most vulnerable to climatic effects. Although the Rwandan government has drafted policies to address these disasters, assessing their impact is vital to the management, reduction, and mitigation of potential risks (REMA 2009, 2010; SEI 2009).