LVEMPRwanda NewsByte
LVEMPRwanda NewsByte
Issue No. 2: January - March 2014
Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (PhaseII): Ensuring sustainable Environmental Protection Word from the Coordinator Dear readers, Welcome to the second issue of the LVEMP Rwanda Newsbyte! The high population density in Rwanda has exerted pressure on the natural resources resulting into the population being susceptible to the negative impacts of environmental abuse over years. The environmental abuses have resulted into some resources getting depleted, pollution of air, water, deforestation, land on which thousands of people earn a living getting exhausted of nutrients; this has resulted into poor crop yields which prompted LVEMP to embark on Integrated Pest Management mechanism in our implementation priorities. I am pleased to affirm that despite the above mentioned challenges, LVEMP is trying
as much as possible to address and reverse the environmental challenges the basin is facing within Rwanda and regionally During the period September – October 2013, we registered tremendous success at the national level , including community mobilization and launching of our activities in more seven Districts namely: Gakenke, Rulindo, Huye, Muhanga, Nyamagabe, Kamonyi and Karongi. In this issue, you will read a summary of what has been achieved so far by LVEMP Rwanda. One of the biggest achievemements during the last quarter was the two co -management interventions in ( Bugesera and Ngoma Districts ) for Lake Rweru, designing and implementation of the Integrated Pest Management in both Ngoma and Bugesera Districts and signing of a memorandum of understanding between LVEMP through Rwanda
Environment Management Authority (REMA) and Energy, Water & Sanitation (EWSA) to streamline the commencement of developing engineering design for centralised sewerage system and Sanitation Master Plan in the Districts of Kicukiro, Gasabo, Huye, Muhanga and Rwamagana . The Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project-Rwanda was also blessed with a study tour organised By LVEMP Burundi that saw the two countries sharing experiences in
watershed management and environmental protection skills and knowledge. This added value to our efforts in managing the environment both at national and regional level. Finally we bring you a recap of upcoming events for LVEMP Rwanda and major priorities in the New Year. I wish you good reading MUHAYIMANA Annette Sylvie National Project Coordinator LVEMPII Rwanda.
Inside this Issue Training Communities on Integrated Pest Management
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Burundi Study tour
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Third National Policy Steering Committee meeting
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Issue No. 2: February - March 2014
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LVEMPRwanda NewsByte
Training Communities on Integrated Pest Management Rwanda being the upstream catchment of the Lake Victoria, with its water feeding into Lake Victoria, proper and safe use of pesticides is very important. This would be achieved through application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles in the fight against pests and diseases. Since the overwhelming majority of the population of Rwanda live in rural areas where the prevalence of poverty is extremely high, and the application of modern agricultural technologies is very rare, the promotion of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) would be needed at all levels. IPM should be identified and adopted as a national tool to fight pests and diseases and sought to be promoted at different structures of rural communities especially of Ngoma District where LVEMP operates and where a sub-project related to rehabilitation of Rweru Lakeshores and its wetland are on-going to ensure successful application. The development of IPM intended to assist LVEMP-II and beneficiaries to achieve proper application of improved farm methods and protection of environment for sustainable development. Those improved farm methods are for example better seeds and seedlings, IPM, soil fertility management, conservation tillage, use manure or compost & mulching.
The major objective of this sub-component was to enhance communities’ ability to plan, implement and monitor watershed management interventions in the targeted sub-catchments, and increased adoption of more environmentally sustainable practices for the use of natural resources. It is against this background that LVEMPII in collaboration with Rwanda Agricultural Board conducted a season long training in the five groups identified in Bugesera and Ngoma District. The groups of farmers had to become permanent Groups learning together in view of acquiring all the necessary skills to implement IPM methods; The FFS (Farmer Field Schools) approach was supposed to be kept as the extension strategy to make sure that trainees acquire both theoretical and
Cassava cuttings to be planted at Kibimba cell
ing cost related to the training.
practical skills in IPM methods and their dissemination; Each group of farmers has managed a study under a close supervision by a specialized FFS facilitator; The learning process is organized on a season long model. RAB has provided seeds required and LVEMPII has covered the remain-
The targeted crops focused on during the training were: maize, beans, cassava, tomatoes and banana which are adapted in both Ngoma and Bugesera Districts. “The skills we acquired from this training will help us to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices for the use of natural resources,” said Mr. Emmanuel MVUYEKURE, a resident of Rweru Sector in BugeseraDistrict. At least 300 participants (140 from Bugesera and 160 from Ngoma Districts) attended this training, which was wrapped up by planting of the different varieties of seeds distributed to different groups in both Districts in the identified demonstration gardens
A cross section of a cassava demonstration garden for cassava under the IPM sub project.
Lake Rweru Rehabilitation and restoration To date, LVEMPII has embarked on rehabilitation of part of the Lake Victoria Basin catchment. So far, watershed management activities have kicked off in Ngoma (Jarama Sector) and Bugesera (Rweru Sector) Districts. Several activities are being done such as: •
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Rehabilitation of Lake Rweru and its wetland. Identification, recording and validation of beneficiaries who have plots in the demarcated area. Currently the project has a total number of 2,059 beneficiaries.
Manual removal of water hyacinth by communities in Lake Rweru
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Removal of water hyacinth; whereby communities are the direct implementers of the activities
Issue No. 2: February - March 2014
Part of Lake Rweru which LVEMP has embarked on its rehabilitation
(community approach). •
So far, 70 ha of water hyacinth were removed from
the Lake and its wetland by the community members’ and155 ha of land was demarcated.
LVEMPRwanda NewsByte
Burundi Study tour From 26th to 27th November 2013, LVEMP through REMA hosted a delegation from Burundi, in a two days study tour organized by the Burundi Ministry of Water, Environment, Land and Urbanization in partnership with Lake Victoria Environment Management Project Phase II (LVEMPII) Burundi; with an aim to learn from Rwanda’s efforts in the protection of environment. The study tour brought together government representatives in the environmental and climate change field from both countries and its outcomes would provide the basis for the conservation and protection of the environment by LVEMPII Burundi counterparts in reference to the Rwandan efforts in the protection of environment especially in the Lake Victoria catchment. The delegation from Burundi was comprised of the Governor of Kirundo Province, Assistant Minister of natural Resources, Mayor of Busoni, LVBC, Director General of Water and Sanitation Resources Burundi and LVEMP Burundi team among others In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Rose MUKANKOMEJE, Director General of REMA shared with the Burundian delegation Rwanda’s progress towards
environment. This would not have been possible without the participation and ownership of the population and these good practices need to be shared, replicated and scaled up to other countries in the region, “she said. The study tour was an opportunity for the 17 Burundian delegates and Rwandan representatives from the environment and climate change sector to exchange progress on sustainable land manage-
A group photo of LVEMP teams from both Rwanda & Burundi with the Director General of REMA after a wrap up meeting.
ment, water hyacinth removal to protect Lakes and water hyacinth re-use as handcrafts; in order to form a package of recommendations for future improvement and also to see how we can harmonise the protection of the Lakes shared with Burundi such as Cyohoha and Rweru.
LVEMP national Project coordinators for both Burundi & Rwanda listening to the Mayor of Bugesera district during a consultative meeting at Bugesera district headquarters during the study tour.
protecting environment and lessons learnt in this endeavor. “Rwanda has made significant progress towards protecting
“LVEMP Rwanda has made successful achievements in regard to protecting Lakes, by removing water hyacinths and respecting 50 meters from lakeshores. This is why we decided to visit the country in order to learn from Rwanda’s efforts to protect Lakes and the environment in general,” said Mr. Libérat NAHIMANA, coordinator of LVEMPII Burundi; adding “The lessons we learnt from this visit, will help
In efforts to rehabilitate Lake Rweru and other catchment areas, digging trenches of about 35 kilometers in
Ngoma and 37 kilometers in Bugesera on the shores of Lake Rweru has been done.
During the study tour, the Burundian delegation visited radical terracing activities being conducted in Rwamagana District, the Lake Mugesera to see the impact the protection of this lake is generating to the local population, the Cyohoha Lake South to see the water hyacinths removal and the handcraft cooperatives operating in Bugesera District, which transform water hyacinths into handcrafts. Since 2008, over 2098.4 ha of lakeshores and river banks have been protected and 1106 ha of watersheds were rehabilitated in Rwanda.
Tree nursery production in Kivusha Village (Calliandra and Jacaranda). Those trees will be planted in the buffer zone to protect Lake Rweru
Communities and their supervisor, busy working on demarcation line, in Jarama Sector, Ngoma district.
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us in sensitizing our people to comply with environmental guidelines in place”.
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Tree nurseries were produced in the two Districts and are ready to be planted.
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Other activities are related to making radical terraces on 140 hectares on Rweru sub-catchment to reduce soil erosion in Ngoma District.
Issue No. 2: February - March 2014
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LVEMPRwanda NewsByte
World Wetlands Day Celebrations-Busia Kenya The event took place, in Busia County, Kenya and drew Rwandan officials from the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project Phase Two represented by the LVEMP Rwanda communications officer, Mr. KARANGWA William on behalf of the National Project Coordinator, an environmental journalist from The New Times and two Community members. This was a regional event that drew attention from other EAC member states. The activities that were involved in this event included a study tour among the various LVEMP Kenya activities including Beach Management Units along Lake Victoria and various Community Driven Development projects of which LVEMP Rwanda picked ideas on how they should be implemented in Rwanda. Other important activities
stroying the environment around Lake Victoria Basin. “Farming, cutting trees, people encroaching on wetlands that ends up polluting the waters are all causing too much stress on the Basin,” said Dr Raymond Mngodo, the regional project coordinator of LVEMPII.
Lvemp rwanda Team inspecting some of the activities by the Kaugege Beach Management Unit at Kaugege- Busia
included flagging off of general cleaning from the office of the Governor of Busia County up to the border post with Uganda and this saw all delegates and people from Busia joining hands in cleaning their city and all this was summed up by celebration of the World Wetlands Day on Sunday under the theme, “Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth.” This was blended up with exhibition of project activities and publications at the
beginning of the event at Busende Primary school in Busia County.
During the event, the environmental experts said human activities are de-
Tree nurseries initiated by Kaugege BMU
Third National Policy Steering Committee meeting The 3rd meeting of the National Steering Committee of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project (LVEMPII) was held on 12th December, 2013 at MINIRENA board room. The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA), the PS in the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), the Director General of Planning in the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) , Deputy Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority ( REMA) , the project coordinator of RRECPC,and representatives from the Ministry
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The chairperson of the LVEMPNPSC together with the DG –REMA during the opening of the 3rd LVEMP NPSC meeting
of Infrastructure(MININFRA), Ministry of Local Government(MINALOC), Ministry of Trade and Industry(MINICOM), Ministry of finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) and Ministry of Agriculture and Animal
Issue No. 2: February - March 2014
Resources(MINAGRI) and also the LVEMPII National Coordination Team participated in the meeting. The meeting was ly to discuss the mentation status recommendations
majorimpleof the of the
last NPSC meeting,highlighting the project progress and challenges, cleaner production centre progress and providing recommendations to some of the challenges faced by the project.
All five EAC member states that share the Lake Victoria Basin were asked to sensitize communities to protect the environment. Rwanda has set up legal framework on the use of wetlands, lakes and rivers whereby a radius of 50 meters from the shores has to be preserved. Cyprian Mudasubira, who lives near the showers of Rweru Lake in Bugesera District, said human activities used to have direct effects on the lake but this has since changed due to the intervention of the Lake Victoria Environmental Management Project Phase II in their area.
Upcoming Events Currently our major focus is on launching LVEMP activities in different districts where we are operating. The activities launch will involve a spectrum of stakeholders ranging from grassroots levels in Rwanda up to regional officials. This would also act as a platform for promoting a corporate image and activities of LVEMP and the LVBC nationally and regionally. There are also a series of National Technical advisory Committee Workshops that are expected in the next two to Three months, the Validating several project documents and studies.