CND (Congo Nile Divide)

Building Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to Climate Variability in Rwanda’s Congo Nile Divide through Forest and Landscape Restoration

Background

The Government of Rwanda, with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is implementing a project entitled “Building Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to Climate Variability in Rwanda’s Congo Nile Divide through Forest and Landscape Restoration,” commonly known as the Congo Nile Divide (CND) project. This initiative focuses on restoring and conserving the natural resources of the CND region, a biodiversity hotspot that lies in the Albertine Rift covering 444,600 hectares. This region has faced severe environmental challenges due to deforestation, land degradation, and climate-related disasters, such as landslides and floods leading to significant loss of life, decreased agricultural productivity, and infrastructure damage. To address these challenges, the CND project aims to:

  1. Strengthen institutional and regulatory frameworks for low emission climate resilient development pathway through mainstreaming climate change into integrated land use planning
  2. Increase climate resilience of vulnerable rural communities in the Congo Nile Divide through forest and landscape restoration and reducing demand for fuelwood

Project components

  1. Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation into Integrated Land Use Planning and Management
  2. Forest and landscape management and restoration
  3. Enhancing climate adaptation through promotion of resilient livelihoods and climate-smart farming methods

Project area

Nyamagabe, Nyaruguru, Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Karongi, Rutsiro, Nyabihu, Ngororero, Rubavu, and Musanze

Landscape restoration targets

  • 5,000 ha of degraded areas in Nyungwe National Park and Gishwati-Mukura National Park
  • 3,346 ha of agroforestry: new terraces and repairing existing terraces
  • 1000 ha of Silvopasture
  • 1500 ha of Riparian lands: river banks and gully rehabilitation
  • 2500 ha of fragile area as protective and productive forests

Livelihood Targets

  • 5 value chain products developed including avocadoes, honey, and horticulture
  • Support 20 beekeeping cooperatives
  • Support 10 seed and nursery enterprises owned by women and youth
  • 3 cooperatives of tourism guides
  • 8500 households provided with energy efficient cooking stoves
  • 5405 households adopting agroforestry measures, of which 50% are women

Indicators

  • 250,841 tCO2-eq GHG emissions reduced, avoided or sequestered (5 years); 1,204,448 tCO2-eq (20-year lifespan period)
  • 144,058 ha under climate-resilient management
  • 4,062,633 people adopt climate resilient livelihoods 

Beneficiaries

Direct: 1,254,242 (30% of CND population)

Indirect: 9,260,745 (52% females)

Jobs to be created:over 24,000 job opportunities