How community-led restoration efforts are supporting Rwanda’s journey to a greener future
In Rwanda's Rusizi District, decades of unsustainable land use on steep slopes have led to severe land degradation, food insecurity, and displacement of communities.
By Elie Sinayitutse
Christened as the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda is known for its hilly terrain. This mountainous terrain coupled with the country’s high population density, and reliance on rain-fed agriculture, has made it susceptible to floods and landslides. In Rusizi District, western Rwanda, decades of unsustainable land use on steep slopes have caused significant land degradation, sedimentation of rivers, loss of fertile soil, heightening food insecurity, and displacement of communities and sometimes causing fatalities.
In response to these challenges, Nature Rwanda in partnership with BirdLife International has been implementing the TerraFund for AFR100 funded project to restore degraded land, reduce climate vulnerability and improve livelihoods of communities in Bweyeye and Butare sectors in Rusizi District
“It was not an easy decision to choose the Rusizi River Basin, given its complex topographic structure and challenging terrain. The selection required an in-depth assessment of land cover through remote sensing, an evaluation of climate risk vulnerability, and an analysis of community capacity needs. These factors helped rank the landscape as a high priority for restoration interventions. As we move forward, we remain hopeful for a remarkable impact on this landscape, particularly in enhancing vegetation cover, strengthening climate resilience, recovering biodiversity and improving community livelihoods”, says Jean Claude Dusabimana, Nature Rwanda’s Executive Director.
Since 2022, the project has planted 300,000 agroforestry, fodder, and fruit trees on 504 hectares, mobilized 3,414 households, and created 394 jobs for the community. In addition, 55 farmer households have been provided with pigs to facilitate access to organic manure to enrich the soil, boost crop production, and create alternative income sources.
This approach of integrating restoration interventions with livelihoods has proven to be highly effective, delivering dual impact. Not only do communities adopt best restoration practices, but they also benefit from improved sustainable livelihoods and food security.
The project’s success attracted scale-up support from TerraFund for AFR100, which is enabling restoration of an additional 604 hectares. This phase which will be implemented over the next six years, will see the planting of 300,000 agroforestry and fruit trees. So far, 180,000 trees have been planted, with the remaining 120,000 set for planting in October 2025.
As a result of dedicated implementation of a robust tree monitoring, which involves Community Tree Stewards (CTSs)—young volunteers who use smartphones and modern mobile apps to track the growth of planted trees—TerraFund for AFR100 has highlighted the project as a good example of project monitoring, reporting and verifying restoration.
The Community Tree Stewards also support the establishment of climate governance committees at village levels. Furthermore, this initiative is supporting 1,500 farmer households with agricultural toolkits and establish community revolving funds as a local financing mechanism, reinforcing climate resilience and food security in the Rusizi River Basin.
“My farms have been severely affected by landslides and erosion, which swept away not only my crops but also the soil itself. With no restoration projects in our area, I never imagined that this initiative would reach us at such a level. Beyond the trees provided to stabilize the soil and offer fruits, I am incredibly grateful for the pig I received, which will further increase my income. I hope that in the next five years, I will be among the model farmers, excelling in crop productivity while being environmentally responsible,” says Musabeyezu Jeannine, a 50-year-old farmer from Butare sector.
“Twice a week, I head out to the field to track the progress of the trees we planted. It’s more than just data collection; it’s a chance to connect with the farmers who have embraced tree planting on their farms. Each visit brings new insights as I listen to their experiences and see firsthand how these trees are growing. Along the way, I have learned to use Kobotoolbox and Flority to gather data on both the trees and the farmers, making monitoring more efficient. This journey has been empowering, and I’m grateful to everyone who has made this knowledge-sharing possible in our community”, says Marie Rose Barayisaba, a 26-year-old Community Tree Steward in Bweyeye sector.
Despite ongoing challenges such as heavy rains, difficult terrain, climate change impacts, and limited community knowledge, the project remains committed to building community capacity for climate resilience. Further, BirdLife International and Nature Rwanda are committed to mobilizing additional resources, to further scale up this restoration work. The restoration need in Rusizi District and Kivu-Rusizi basin is huge, and restoration efforts must be sustained to create resilient landscapes that secure both current and future generations.
“While restoration offers a vital solution for our landscapes, its success can only be sustained if communities are at the forefront of the impact. We urge more partners to collaborate with us in this journey of fostering long-term climate resilience for both our ecosystems and the people who depend on them”, concludes Dusabimana.
About AFR100
The TerraFund for AFR100 (the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative) is a country-led effort to bring 100 million hectares of land in Africa into restoration by 2030. AFR100 contributes to the Bonn Challenge, the African Resilient Landscapes Initiative (ARLI), the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals and other targets.
Header image: Students participated in tree planting in Rasano cell of Bweyeye Sector © Nature Rwanda
While restoration offers a vital solution for our landscapes, its success can only be sustained if communities are at the forefront of the impact. Claude Dusabimana, Nature Rwanda’s Executive Director.
This journey has been empowering, and I’m grateful to everyone who has made this knowledge-sharing possible in our community. Marie Rose Barayisaba, Community Tree Steward in Bweyeye sector.