According to a 2019 forest cover mapping report, the country’s current forest cover is 724, 695 ha, (30.4%)
By Jean Bosco. Kayitare
In 1995, Rwanda ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); the act which provided the formal framework for the implementation of the provisions of the Convention especially its three objectives namely: the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of its components; and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of resources”
Rwanda’s development agenda recognises the important and central role that biodiversity and natural resources play in terms of supporting the country’s economic growth, livelihoods as well as in the provision of critical ecosystem services such as water, soil erosion and flood control as well as climate change mitigation.
After Rwanda realised the importance of the diverse habitats and ecosystems that range from humid montane forests to savannahs, lakes, rivers and wetlands which support a wide range of biodiversity, it had to ratify the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). However, the country’s biodiversity faces various threats which has led to loss of species, shrinkage in population sizes and ecosystem degradation.
According to the country’s Sixth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Rwanda has fully achieved one of its Vision 2020 target of increasing forest cover to 30% of its total land area. The current forest cover according to a 2019 forest cover mapping report is 724, 695 ha, (30.4%).
This in return became an important communication tool for biodiversity planning, providing the analysis and monitoring necessary to inform decisions on implementation.
According to a senior official with the Global Green Growth Institute –Rwanda (GGGI) Dr. Brigitte Nyirambangutse, “while people are generally aware of the value and importance of biodiversity, they may not be fully aware of the steps they can take to conserve it or may be constrained by factors such as lack of alternative livelihood options that can reduce their reliance on land and other natural resources, poverty, technical and technological capacity, for example that can allow increase agricultural productivity on a small parcel of land.”
Incentives for biodiversity conservation and sustainability
Positive incentives have been realised through the Tourism Revenue Sharing (TRS) programme, which has significantly impacted the local communities living adjacent to protected areas since its inception in 2005. The cumulative amount shared by 2018 was $5.3 million. A total of 690 community development projects had been funded under the TRS programme resulting into a significant boost in education, health and provision of water and other social infrastructure.
Samuel Mugisha, the environment officer at Nyamagabe District observes that overall, conservation in general has benefited immensely due to the implementation of these measures. “This is validated for example by the results of a survey done around Nyungwe forest in 2015 to establish effectiveness of the revenue sharing programme on the sustainable management of natural resources where 100% of the respondents gave responses in the affirmative,” he says.
Similarly, Protais Musoni, Musanze District notes that community-based enterprises have been established as alternative income generation sources such as the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.
“Through income generated by the lodge, many development projects housing, improved access to water, education, health facilities, economic empowerment for all including youth and women among others were implemented around Volcanoes National Park. Income generating activities such as bee keeping were also promoted around all the protected areas,” he says, adding that members of the local communities especially the youth were also employed as rangers.
