Download: Project results in Rwanda
Project results and activities in Rwanda
Rwanda is a land-locked country of 26,338 km2 bordering Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is divided into 4 provinces and the City of Kigali with 30 districts, and a total population of about 12,95 million people.
The country has a temperate tropical climate and two main rainy seasons (February–May; September–December) that determine planting and harvesting cycles. Rainfall varies geographically, with the East and Southeast receiving less precipitation (700–1100 mm annually) than the west and northwest (1300–1600 mm annually).
Rwanda is a water-rich country, and the agriculture is the backbone of the country’s economy: it employs around 70 percent of the population. The populated “land of a thousand hills”, Rwanda is characterized by a dense system of lakes, rivers, marshlands, groundwater and soil water, which are frequently replenished by abundant rainfalls.
Rwanda is challenged by climate variability, from changes in rainfall patterns to more extreme weather events. In addition, there is an increase pressure on natural resources (such as water and land) due to population growth, intensification of agriculture, rapid urbanization and industrialization, leading to intensified competition between water users and reduction in water quality.
These challenges need to be addressed by Rwanda’s water governance institutions to ensure an equitable, sustainable and climate proof system of water allocation.
Results
The KnoWat project aimed to review the water resource management framework and then formulate recommendations to address the increased competition on water resources in the country. The ultimate goal is to ensure equitable access to water resources.
It is essential to increase awareness and initiate a dialogue on issues of water access and allocation with the national stakeholders from government, civil society, private sector and media. The project worked to improve the capacities of the technical staff in water and agricultural sector institutions on data management for water resources assessment.
Finally, the project team worked with farmers in the Yanze catchment, Rulindo district, to increase their capacities in water management and better access to water through solar pumps, and to diversify their sources of income such as aquaculture.
