Improving Rwandan lives, One village at a time

WED: how ready is Rwanda to climate change

By Théogène Nsengimana

farmers watering soybeans in Kanyonyombya marshland in Gatsibo district. Theogene Nsengimana

Today the world observes, the World Environment Day (WED) an annual event always celebrated on June 5, and considered as one of   the principal vehicles through which the United Nations (UN) stimulates worldwide awareness on environment and climate change to encourage public attention for positive action. It was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972.

At national level, WED was celebrated on june,3, a celebration that coincided with the launch of the fourth edition of the state of environment and outlook report (SoEOR) 2015.

According to the SoEOR 2015, Rwanda is highly vulnerable to the impact of temperature and rainfall changes due to climate change since it relies heavily on rain-fed agriculture for subsistence livelihoods and tea and coffee cash crops.

a recent flooding  on Kigali-Muhanga highway. Theogene Nsengimana

The report also predicts that “temperature rise could negatively affect crop yields, impacting food security and export earnings”, while the international panel on climate change (IPCC) reports that there has been increasing warming over Africa’s land regions in the last 50 to 100 years as is consistent with human-induced climate change; indicating that Rwanda’s average temperature increased by 1.4˚C since 1970, higher than the global average. It states that the average is likely to rise by up to 2.5˚C from the 1970 average by the 2050s.

It shows that agriculture contributes most to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions emitting about 65 per cent of non-land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) emissions mainly because of carbon released from cultivating soils.

Coping with trends

Dr Vincent Biruta, the minister for natural resources (MINIRENA) said coping with climate change needs collaborative and collective efforts

He said “collaborative and partnership efforts are needed not only in protecting environment but also in dealing with impacts of climate change. The government of Rwanda through her vision 2020, recognizes three principles greening economy being social protection, economic empowerment and environmental intelligence.

The government of Rwanda has revised the vision 2020 and made environment and climate change a cross-cutting issue to make green growth a pillars in economic transformation”

The fourth edition of the SoEOR was conducted by Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) on greening agriculture with resource efficient, low carbon and climate resilient practices

Dr Geraldine Mukeshimana, the minister for agriculture and animal resources (MINAGRI) said that the ministry of agriculture has adopted a proactive approach in mainstreaming environment and climate change to enable green agriculture growth.

She said “the strategic plan for agriculture transformation in Rwanda along with the irrigation masterplan all of them recognize climate change as the greatest challenge and threat to agriculture development agenda.

We however chose as a solution to put on top priority climate change adaptation through various pillars including integrated water management, early warning and agro-meteorology and rapid responses, promotion of off-farm activities, intensive agro-animal husbandry, promotion of drought tolerant crop varieties and alternative use of energy sources among other environmentally friendly practices”.

Promoting green technologies and integrated settlement to enable green growth

Through the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies (EDPRS II) and the climate change fund (FONERWA), Rwanda promotes green innovations and technologies by funding them, and builds capacity among industries to enable resource efficient and cleaner production to reduce energy, water use and pollution.

Augustin Kampayana, the head of human settlement, planning, and development at the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) said that the concept of green villages has been put into consideration to ensure that climate resilient settlement is promoted

“Settlement can be hazardous to environment, so we are organizing rural settlements as far as integrated development programme is concerned where we put into consideration the concept of green villages to ensure proper management of environment”.

The government of Rwanda guided by Post 2015 SDGs Goals, officially known as “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’’, especially goal 11 of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and through   the EDPRSII;advocates for programmes and strategies aiming at building green villages and reducing vulnerability to Climate change by relocating families living in high risk zones

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972. It is an annual event always celebrated on 5^th June as one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations (UN) stimulates worldwide awareness on environment and climate change to encourage public attention for positive action. This year, the global theme is on “the fight against the illegal trade in wildlife” while Rwanda observes the day under the theme “Join the Race to Increase Resilience to Climate Change”.