Among the lush green hills of Rwanda's Volcanoes Region, a transformation is underway. Rwanda is investing in its abundant natural resources to create jobs, generate revenues, and build resilience to climate change. The Volcanoes Community Resilience Project, which brings together financing from IDA, PROGREEN, and the GEF, is reshaping the relationship between the environment and the local communities who call this fertile land home.
In a region where over 1.4 million people rely on the rich soils for agriculture, climate change and population growth are creating new strains on infrastructure and livelihoods. Loss of topsoil has been impacting crop productivity and increasing the instances of flooding. As agricultural activities take place closer to the biodiverse forests, human-wildlife conflict forces farmers in contact with animals that come to feed on crops.
Support from the Volcanoes Community Resilience Project reimagines a future that allows the community and environment to thrive together, with a focus on enhancing livelihoods. The project supports adaptation to a changing climate through early warning systems, climate-smart agriculture, slope stabilization, and erosion control, allowing for increased agricultural productivity and commercialization opportunities, as well as protection for infrastructure like schools and homes.
Support to the Volcanoes National Park, home to the majestic mountain gorillas, not only safeguards the habitat of these iconic species but also bolsters opportunities for ecotourism, a vital source of revenue for the government and jobs for the local communities. Increased habitat can help support a larger population of mountain gorillas, which bring many tourists to the region, with revenues shared through project fees, as well as through increase business to local restaurants, transport companies, handicraft sellers, and other local enterprises. Restoration of the landscapes will create a buffer zone to reduce the encroachment of animals into the villages, and improve the climate resilience of the area. Increased vegetation cover will help prevent erosion, while also improving the downstream water quality.
As the project unfolds, it aims to ensure that the natural treasures of Rwanda can benefit the country today, while also being maintained for generations to come.
