DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT IN ... · DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL...

Environmental protection and management

SaferRwanda © 2008

1

DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND

MANAGEMENT IN

RWERU SECTOR - BUGESERA DISTRICT - EASTERN PROVINCE

RWANDA

May 2007 - May 2008

SaferRwanda

Building for Peace and Prosperity


SaferRwanda © 2008

2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SaferRwanda is privileged to publish

and present this report on Environmental

protection and management through

planting trees and construction of

improved cook stoves in Nemba Cell -

Rweru Sector of Bugesera District in the

Eastern Province of Rwanda. This report

revolves on the Awareness creation and

Trainig of Trainers workshops, planting

of grafted fruit trees and non fruit, and

construction of improved cook stoves.

We are very grateful for the financial

support recieved from NBI/NTEAP

(UNDP), as well as their commitment in

the fullest implementation of this

project.

We wish to appreciate the partnership

and collaboration of the local authorities

of Rweru Sector in their devotion to

ensure the success of this project.

SaferRwanda would like to offer special

thanks to the community members of

Nemba Cell particularly Muyoboro and

Rwiminazi Agglomerations for having a

welcoming attitude and dedicating

immeasurable efforts in the

implementation of all the project

components.


SaferRwanda © 2008

3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Environmental degradation poses one of

the utmost threats to humankind. It is on

this basis that SaferRwanda initiated a

project entitled; Environmental

protection and management through

planting trees and construction of

improved cook stoves in Nemba Cell -

Rweru Sector of Bugesera District in the

Eastern Province of Rwanda. The project

was solely supported financially by

NBI/NTEAP (UNDP), implemented by

SaferRwanda.

Project setup

The project was entailed on three

components all of which are

complementary in ensuring a healthy

environment and the components are as

follows;

Awareness creation and capacity

building through Training of

Trainers (ToT) on construction of

Improved Cook Stoves (ICS)

together with environmental

protection and management.

Tree planting which involved

distribution of grafted fruit trees

(Mangoes and Avocados), and non

fruit tree trees (Cacia and Moringa).

Construction of Improved Cook

Stoves.

The project beneficiaries were 293

households all of whom are from

Muyoboro and Kiminazi

Agglomerations, and additionally 45

members of Turengere ibidukikije

environmental club of Rweru Sector.

This project implementation covered a

period of one year, May 2007 to May

2008.

Objectives of the project

Main objective

To protect the environment by reducing

deforestation and emphasizing

forestation in Bugesera District (Rweru

Sector, Nemba Cell) that is within the

Nile basin.

Specific objectives

To create awareness and capacity

building on environmental protection

and management.

To plant trees for environmental

protection.

To plant fruit trees for providing

fruits as a future source of income.

To plant trees in order to have a

prolonged rainy season.

To enrich the vegetation cover

through planting trees thus reducing

soil erosion.

To reduce household firewood

consumption.

To minimize the cost of cooking

fuel.

Improvement of the living conditions

of the rural population by accessing

Improved Cook Stoves and having

fruit trees in their homes.

Reduce the workload for women and

children in the firewood collection

activity.

To prevent concentration of smoke

and indoor pollution.

To rise awareness about

environmental management and

protection.

To create community partnership and

cooperation in environment

protection


SaferRwanda © 2008

4

INTRODUCTION

Background

There are no commercially exploited

woodlands in Rwanda; existing growths

are too inaccessible for profitable

development, although they are used

locally for fuel and building. Erosion

and cutting (due to farming and stock

raising) have almost entirely eliminated

Rwanda's original forests. Remaining

growths are concentrated along the top

of the Nile-Zaire divide and on the

volcanic mountains of the northwest.

There are scattered savanna woodlands

in the eastern province. Forest cover is

estimated to be 480,000hectares round

wood removals came to an estimated

7,836,000 cu m (2.77 billion cu ft) in

2000, 96% for fuel.

However in 2005 forestation stemmed

by 419,000ha a large reforestation effort

that has increased overall forest cover by

an average of 8% per year between 2000

and 2005. About 7.7% of the country has

been under some form of protection.

Rwanda's environmental challenges

concern deforestation, misuse of

Wetlands (rivers and lakes) and soil

erosion, all of which hinder to

sustainable development of the country.

The District of Bugesera is a region in

the low land of the Nile Basin yet it is

one of the most affected parts of the

country by environmental degradation.

This is mainly because of its vegetation

setup that is mostly covered by scattered

trees, savanna grass and shrub.

A general perspective of the landscape

and vegetation cover of a large part of

Bugesera District.

Presently, like any other country in the

Nile Basin Rwanda is embarking on the

actions to protect, preserve and improve

the quality of her environment.

Protection and safeguarding the

environment has become a primary

concern in Rwanda as the country's

economy depends on agriculture it is

quite important to have a better

environment that can boost agricultural

development.

AWARENESS CREATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING COMPONENT


SaferRwanda © 2008

5

Awareness rising Workshop

An awareness workshop was convened

on 26 October 2007 the same day of

distributing seedlings. The main goal of

the workshop was to sensitize the

community most especially the

beneficiaries about environmental

protection and management. Present in

the workshop were the sector personnel

in charge of agriculture, the executive

secretary of the Cell, the chairperson of

Turengere Ibidukikije Environment

Club, SaferRwanda Coordinator and

Staff, and the entire community of

Nemba Cell. The total number of

participants in the workshop was 294

(beneficiaries).

Participants of the awareness

workshop.

1. Workshop Proceedings

The sector personnel in charge of

agriculture gave an opening speech

which was mainly centered on

emphasizing the importance of trees to

the community. Trees are the foundation

of a better environment in promoting

agriculture.

He summed up by emphasizing that the

trees provided should be solely owned

by the beneficiaries.

The second presenter was from the

Coordinator of SaferRwanda

Muhongerwa Christine. In the first

place, she gave her welcoming remarks

to the participants and switched right

away to the core part of the workshop.

She narrated a brief background of how

human activities dating 200 years back

have been the main source of

environment degradation and

destruction. Therefore every community

member has a vital role to play in the

management and protection of the

environment especially people who live

within and near the Nile Basin. She

continued by emphasizing the socio-

economic and ecological importance of

trees to the community. Conclusively

she called for the beneficiaries'

responsibility and accountability for the

proper growth of the trees provided.

Presentation from the coordinator of

SaferRwanda.

The chairperson of Turengere ibidukikije

environmental club gave a closing

speech in which he acknowledged

SaferRwanda for their input to

environmental protection and


SaferRwanda © 2008

6

management. He pledged full support

from environmental club in

implementation and sustainability of the

project.

A participant seeking explanation

A participant giving a

recommendation in the awareness

workshop

Capacity building Workshop (Training of Trainers)


SaferRwanda © 2008

7

On 12th - 13th February 2008,

SaferRwanda undertook a workshop on

capacity building through Training of

Trainers (ToT) about environmental

protection and management, and skills in

the construction of Improved Cook

Stoves (ICS). The third day of the

training was attributed to field practice

by the trained trainers. The target group

of this workshop was members of

Turengere Ibidukikije Environment Club

of Rweru Sector.

The workshop was aimed at providing

technical skills to club members on the

proper protection and management of

the environment, and additionally

equipping them with sufficient

knowledge in the construction of ICS.

Another aim of training the club was for

the sustainability of the project activities

in the whole Sector at large.

A group photo of participants ToT

workshop

1. ToT Workshop proceedings

The first day of the workshop mainly

focused on the theoretical part. However

it was characterized by the following

presentations;

An opening presentation by the

coordinator/director of SaferRwanda

Muhongerwa Christine. She begun

by welcoming participants and

appreciating their impressing turn-

up. The coordinator emphasized the

importance of the environment to

humankind and then linking it to the

usefulness of trees to our day to day

life. For that reason, SaferRwanda

has been impelled by the immediate

need of coming up with initiatives

aimed at proper protection and

management of the environment. She

called for efforts from community

members in developing other

measure aimed at achieving a better

environment for the present and

future generations. She emphasized

the importance of protecting the

environment in the Nile Basin

mainly because it is where we find

most of the water bodies in the

region. In concluding her

presentation, she urged club

members to play a leading role in the

sustainability of all activities of the

project.

The Coordinator of SaferRwanda

giving her remarks.


SaferRwanda © 2008

8

The second presentation of the day

was had from the Executive

Secretary of the Sector Mr. Rukundo

Julius. In the first place, Mr.

Rukundo acknowledged

SaferRwanda for the tremendous

work of supporting and being a

partner in the implementation of the

Government programmes on the

Environment. He strongly advocated

for the club's input to each and every

initiative that has been introduced by

SaferRwanda to the Sector. He then

called upon the club members to be

devoted to the knowledge that they

were about to be given and

afterwards be practical in applying it.

The Executive Secretary of Rweru

Sector giving his speech

The third presentation of the

workshop which was also the most

important part of the training was

made by Mr. Rushigajiki Claude an

expert from Kigali Institute of

Science and Technology (KIST). In

the first instance, the technician

called upon participants to be

attentive because it is from theory

that a trainee can practically apply

the skills got from the training. He

proceeded by giving a brief

background of how the idea of

constructing improved cook stoves

came about in Rwanda. He continued

by narrating how the aftermath of

genocide period had great negative

impacts on the scarce vegetation

cover that existed by then. The

inflow of Rwandese from exile and

the ones who were in the country by

then mounted a lot of pressure on

trees in search for cooking fuel and

construction materials for shelter.

Afterwards, the Government came-

up with both immediate and

structural measures of curbing down

the problem. That’s how government

experts initiated the construction of

ICS as a quick remedy to reduce

firewood consumption among the

community. Presently the idea of

ICS is spreading rapidly in many

parts of the country and it has been

proved to be cost efficient and

effective in minimizing cooking fuel.

This was followed by mentioning

some of the important materials

required in the construction of ICS of

which are; Bricks, Clay bricks,

Wires, Sand, Cement, Lime and Clay

or anthill mud

The expert presenting the theoretical

part of the construction skills.


SaferRwanda © 2008

9

Trainees' attentively listening trainer

The second day of capacity building

workshop was mainly aimed at putting

the learned theory into practice. In the

morning hours participants were

introduced to a demonstration that took

place in the Sector compound.

The expert demonstrated a general set-

up of an ICS using all the required

construction materials. The raised

structure of ICS was demolished and

then some participants were called upon

to raise again the same structure, and

they did it successfully.

The technician demonstrating the

general set-up of an ICS

The next step was to construct a

community demonstrative ICS in the

kitchen of a Primary school that is just

nearby the administrative block of

Rweru Sector. The major aim of putting

up a demonstrative ICS was to make it

accessible for each and every

community member to have a clear

picture of an improved cook stove.

A demonstrative ICS under

construction at the primary school.

Rewarding certificates to trainers

On 23rd of May 2008, 45 members of

Club Turengere Ibidukikije who were

trained to train others in the construction

of improved cook stoves were awarded

certificate of successfully acquiring

technical construction skill. The function

was presided over by the sector

authorities, the president of the

environmental club and the staff of

SaferRwanda. In his speech, the Sector

personnel in charge of Civil Status Mr.

Nzabamuhimuzi Benjamin acknowledged the tremendous work

done by SaferRwanda in proper

protection and management of the

environment. He further reminded club

members who were trained to use the

newly achieved skills practically and

even train fellow community members


SaferRwanda © 2008

10

in the same skills of constructing

improved cook stoves.

The sector personnel in charge of Civil

Status awarding Certificates to club

members.

Club members holding their

certificates

TREE PLANTING COMPONENT

After identifying ISAR-Rubirizi for

producing grafted seedlings,

SaferRwanda engaged in procurement

processes in which transactions were

made for 1875 avocado seedlings and

1875 mango seedlings. But

unfortunately only 1400 mango

seedlings were secured due to the

scarcity of mango grafts.

Another procurement order was forward

to UMUSAVE FARM for supplying

SaferRwanda with 2750 seedlings of

Acacia (Sena Spectables) and 3125

seedlings of Moringa (Oleifera). All of

the seedlings ordered for from this farm

were secured successfully

Distributed seedlings

Species/type

of seedling

Planned number

of seedling

Actual

distributed

number of

seedlings

% indicator of

distributed

seedlings

Moringa 3125 3125 100%

Acacia 2750 2750 100%

Avocado 1875 1875 100%

Mango 1875 1400 75%

Total 9625 9150 95%


SaferRwanda © 2008

11

After a period of 5 months (May-

October), more consultations were

undertaken between the beneficiaries,

local leaders, Turengere Ibidukikige

Environment club and SaferRwanda on

the tree planting process.

The above mentioned stakeholders

reached a consensus that the tree

planting component should be extended

from Muyoboro to the neighboring

agglomeration which is Rwiminazi

raising the number of beneficiaries to

294 households. The main reason of

extending the tree planting component to

another agglomeration was brought

forward by local leaders stressing the

point that most of the beneficiaries in the

agglomeration (Muyoboro) have Small

Pieces of land that can only

accommodate 30 trees and below. This

impelled SaferRwanda together with

local leaders to extend tree planting to

Rwiminazi agglomeration accordingly.

Mango seedlings ready for

distribution

Moringa seedlings ready for

distribution

A beneficiary home his share of

seedlings

One of the beneficiaries with his

avocado seedling.


SaferRwanda © 2008

12

Avocado Seedlings ready for

distribution

Cacia seedlings ready for distribution.

COMPONENT OF CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVED COOK

STOVES

As a remedy to reducing firewood

consumption, SaferRwanda engaged in

the construction of Improved Cook

Stoves (ICS). The modified version of

the traditional three stones cook stove is

the ICS. Certain futures have been

modified to make them more efficient in

respect to wood consumption as a source

of cooking fuel. Additionally, they are

designed to be more convenient for

cooking and much safer from a health

point of view. The ICS compared to

traditional stoves has a higher efficiency

of 15-25% in energy conservation and

more safety. The ICS are made of local

materials, installed by the local

population; it is cheap and easy to

operate. It saves up-to 75% of wood fuel

in comparison to traditional stoves.

A demonstrative ICS ready for use in

the kitchen of the primary school.

After a two days training workshop

which involved provision of technical

skills in the construction of ISC that

mainly targeted members of Turengere

Ibidukije environment club, the

construction work of ICS in Muyoboro

and Rwiminazi begun on 14th February

2008 and took a period of three days for

the construction of 60 ICS as planned

earlier in the project. This construction


SaferRwanda © 2008

13

work was directly supervised by the

hired expert together with daily

monitoring by SaferRwanda Staff. The

club was divided into 5 groups and each

of which had 8-9 members. One foreman

was assigned to full responsibility of the

whole group in the construction work.

The president of the club was

responsible for coordinating the five

groups.

Some of the bricks made out of clay by

the club members.

On the first day of the construction

work, each group was able to construct

between 2-4 ICS. But on the second day

after gaining some experience, the

number of ICS constructed by each

group increased to five and on the third

day it was much simpler for the groups

to construct the remaining ICS.

Trainees' constructing an ICS in one

of the beneficiary's kitchen.

One of the cook stoves that was

constructed by the club members.

In the whole process of constructing

Improved Cook Stoves, beneficiaries

were extremely cooperative and

motivated in providing whatever was

required from them. The Executive

Secretary of Nemba Cell also played an

important role in the coordination of

each and every activity related to the

construction of ICS. On the last day, all

the beneficiaries were appreciative to the

work done by both SaferRwanda and

Turengere Ibidukikije Club.

Beneficiaries also pledged to play their

role in the proper use and maintenance

of the cook stoves.

A beneficiary standing happily besides

his newly constructed cook stove.


SaferRwanda © 2008

14

A mother looking appreciative for

having an Improved Cook stove in her

kitchen.

After constructing cook stove for the

target group in Nemba Cell, club

members all showed interest of having

similar improved cook stoves in their

homes. After SaferRwanda had proved it

necessary to give club members an

opportunity of getting improved cook

stoves, on 23 May 2008 club members

were given construction material to

facilitate the in construction of Improved

Cook Stoves in their own homes. This

brought the total number of constructed

cook in the sector to 105.

Club members working together in

the construction of a cook stove in the

kitchen of the colleague.

ACHIEVEMENTS

SaferRwanda was able to evaluate the

project results during the implementation

and immediately after accomplishing all

of the planed project components.

Part of the evaluation that took place

during the implementation of the

project activities.

The evaluation was arranged in the

following way for each project

component respectively;

Awareness and capacity building

component

293 participants from their respective

households were sensitized on


management.

45 members of Turengere Ibidukikije

Environmental Club were involved

in the Training of Trainers workshop

that was aimed at providing them


SaferRwanda © 2008

15

with technical skills in the

construction of ICS.

One demonstrative ICS was

constructed at a primary school

nearby the Sector Administrative

block.

The trained club members were able

to construct the 60 planed ICS for

the community and out of necessity

45 ICS were constructed for the

trained club members.

Sector and Cell authorities

participated in both awareness

raising and capacity building

workshops.

Tree planting component

9150 tree seedlings were distributed

out of which 3125 were Moringa,

2750 were Cacias, 1875 were

Avocados and 1400 were Mangoes.

293 households benefited from the

above mentioned number of planted

seedlings.

100% of households in Muyoboro

and Rwiminazi have fruit trees in

their homesteads.

Component of ICS construction

60 households in both Muyoboro and

Rwiminazi Agglomeration have ICS

constructed in their kitchens.

Firewood consumption as a source of

fuel has been minimized presently by

45%

Improved the welfare of the

beneficiary households through

reduced workload of collecting

firewood and simplifying the

cooking maneuver.

Indoor pollution was reduced by

95% creating a clean domestic

environment free of air

contamination.

The environmental club gained some

income from the construction of ICS.

Gender Aspect Impacts of environmental degradation

are not discriminative on either men or

women; it is on this basis that

SaferRwanda considered gender as a

paramount issue in the implementation

of the project. It has been proved that

women suffer most when it comes to

impact bearers of environmental

degradation. The degradation impacts

are mainly centered on the domestic

workload that female members of a

family are assigned to. It is commonly

known in the African culture that women

or girls are responsible for preparing

meals and same applies to collecting

firewood in a home. However in the

implementation of all project

components, gender equality was the

foremost criteria of selecting

beneficiaries of the project.

Quantitatively, women were 45% of the

total number of the project beneficiaries.

A beneficiary standing besides her

moringa tree.


SaferRwanda © 2008

16

CHALLENGES, RECOMMENDATIONS, LESSONS LEARNED

AND CONCLUSION

ChallengesThe following are some of the identified

challenges during and after the

implementation of the project

components;

Scarcity of mango and avocado

seedlings that inflicted big impact in

the implementation processes of the

entire project.

The nature of climate in the area was

to some extent hazardous to the

project implementation most

especially in planting of trees.

This was a big challenge mainly

because Moringa and cacia could not

easily cope-up with the prolonged

dry season.

The size of household plots of land

prompted us to extend the tree

planting component of the project to

a neighboring agglomeration of

Rwiminazi.

There was an overwhelming demand

for a similar project by people

because the area covered was small

compared to the size of Rweru

sector.

Recommendations The following are the general

recommendation which were raised

mostly during awareness raising and

capacity building workshops;

Sector authorities showed keen

interest in extending the project to

the rest of the Sector Cells if

environmental degradation is to be

curbed down wholesomely.

Participants of the workshop

recommended SaferRwanda to

engage all community members in

trainings aimed at giving them

technical skills in environmental


Notably also, participants gave

advise of involving school children

in all efforts aimed at environmental


More emphasis in environmental

protection measures should be

focused on women because they are

also highly implicated in

environmental changes.

From the workshop, participants

requested for the introduction of

several other measures to reduce the

problem of soil erosion like

construction of terraces in their

gardens.

Local authorities need to have an

exceptional upper hand in mobilizing

the community for proper

management and protection of the

environment.

Beneficiaries showed overwhelming

interest for community training on

skills of grafting tree seedlings in

order to have reforestation and

forestation that is cost effective.

Lesson learned Basing on the partnership that has been

established between the government and

other stakeholders like NBI/NTEAP

(UNDP) together with CSO like

SaferRwanda, environmental protection

and management is becoming a prime

responsibility to every one.


SaferRwanda © 2008

17

The community is very welcoming

to all efforts aimed to the betterment

of the environment and in addition to

that they are ready to cooperate with

each and every stakeholder.

Involving school children in

programmes aimed at environmental

protection and management is very

significant in training them to be

environment friendly.

Stakeholders need to hold

consultations with the community

about strategies of promoting a

healthy environment is quite

important in ensuring proper


management.

With a wide spread awareness

raising and capacity building the

environment can be strongly

protected from degradation. It is very important to integrate

modern and well planned agricultural

methods in programmes seeking

appropriate environmental protection

and management.

Conclusion In efforts to promote effective


management, SaferRwanda in

collaboration with the community of

Rweru Sector particularly Nemba Cell in

the accomplishment of the three related

components of the Project.

An environment that favors agriculture

is the basis of sustainable socio-

economic development of the society.

However, there is still a long way to go

in striving for a better environment in

Rweru Sector and Bugesera district in

general given its poor environment that

is mainly characterized by a limited and

shot rainy season.


SaferRwanda © 2008

18

List of trained members of Turengere Ibidikije Environment club

1. Nshimiyimana Alphonse

2. Gasominari J De Dieu

3. Nyirasafari Idele

4. Musabyimana Innocent

5. Marizamunda J Damascene

6. Dusangirimana J Damascene

7. Munyankindi Emmanuel

8. Ahorukomeye Straton

9. Ntawangundi Emmanuel

10. Maniragaba Emmanuel

11. Murasira J Damascene

12. Habineza Gaspard

13. Nsengiyumva Cylile

14. Ndayambaje David

15. Nsingizimana Innocent

16. Ingabire Francine

17. Uguyeneza Gislaine

18. Nshimiyimfura J Baptiste

19. Habimana Felicien

20. Habimana Theogene

21. Gashumba Habib

22. Mukantwali Serafie

23. Nyiransonera Jeneti

24. Murebwayire Milley

25. Nyirabasirimu Joyeuse

26. Mukakarasira Jacqueline

27. Mukakarasi Jeannette

28. Twagirayezu Francois

29. Nteziyaremye Theogene

30. Mukandinda Consiede

31. Nangahafi

32. Mukabyiringiro

33. Gakuba Janvier

34. Uwimana Frolide

35. Ngendahimana Jonas

36. Gasana Brovet

37. Kayita J Paul

38. Buregeya J d'Amour

39. Rugena J Luc

40. Sibomana Aimable

41. Nsengiyumva Samson

42. Tuyisenge Lazaro

43. Zirahigwa Eias

44. Mukakalisa Alphonsine

45. NsengimanaEmmanuel

DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT IN ... · DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL...

Documents

Transcript of DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT IN ... · DRAFT REPORT ON ENVIRONMENTAL...