IES in Rulindo District, Rwanda to support SFA
The IES project has been working in close collaboration with FAO’s Sustainable Food and Agriculture (SFA) programme in the Rulindo district of Rwanda.
Building on past FAO-supported Kagera Transboundary Agro-Ecosystem Management Project (Kagera-TAMP) initiative, and to assist the SFA and Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM) approach in Rwanda, the IES project worked with in-country partners to develop a plan to coordinate activities across the agricultural and environmental sectors in Rulindo District. Building on SFA activities to coordinate the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Agriculture in March 2016, the IES approach provided a mechanism to pilot the coordination of SFA and FLRM activities at district level.
To support this, a workshop was conducted in Rulindo district and Kigali in November 2016 to introduce the IES approach at both ministerial and local government levels. This included technical discussions in Rulindo district to identify key stakeholders and map existing investments in conservation, restoration and productivity enhancement in the district, and to discuss opportunities for better coordination. These opportunities and obstacles identified were then discussed with key policy makers in Kigali.
These activities supported the development of Rulindo as an illustrative model of existing opportunities for integrating SFA activities on the ground through the IES approach, and paved the way for justifying integration at planning and policy level. The IES project has continued to provide technical input to support SFA/FLR policy advice activities at central and district level, including:
- Support to the Deputy Major and JADF of Rulindo to revise their District Development Plan (DDP) for 2018 to improve the coordination of SFA and FLRM activities and incentives within the district to implement sustainable land management practices
- Contributing to development of two ToRs to support SFA/FLRM agenda in Rulindo, including value chain analysis of key crops to develop livelihood opportunities and mapping of existing programmes and initiatives within the DDP
These plans have focused on addressing threats to ecosystem services to restore and conserve the landscape at district level. For example, addressing soil conservation by developing terracing and planting 27km of bamboo along the Yanze river bank, reducing soil degradation through inter-cropping and agro-forestry (incorporating forests and shrubs on farm land).
Better management of land and water resources in the district can support the sustainable land management practices implemented through hands-on learning initiatives such as Farmer Field Schools.
With financing from and partnership with organizations such as FONERWA, Farmer Field Schools and Vegetable and Flowers Farmers Cooperatives, better management of land and water resources have supported more innovative sustainable land management practices, hands-on learning, and provided motivation to farmers to grow different varieties of crops and develop new practices. These include fruit production, bamboo, agro-forestry, fish farming, mushroom and pulses.These improved practices have helped to address the nutritional needs of the district, and support new livelihoods to benefit local populations.
Rulindo is now a role model for the region, sharing lessons learned for other districts within Rwanda and countries within the region.