Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Nyagatare and Kirehe Districts, donated 500 improved cooking stoves to residents of Rwimiyaga and Kigarama Sectors as part of an effort to sustain, protect, and increase Rwanda's forest cover.

This is one of the activities carried out by AREECA, which also includes forest plantation, agroforestry, and environmental training for youths and women to ensure full participation in forest protection activities.

The beneficiaries who received these improved cooking stoves appreciated this exercise as it is a solution to the problem of not having enough firewood for cooking. Through these distributed improved cooking stoves, citizens will use less firewood and travel less to look for firewood. Mukansanga Apollinarie, a citizen of village called  Rukundo I, stated that they sometimes did not cook because of firewood.

“Truly, these improved cooking stoves will greatly help us; we previously did not have enough firewood, but we now have a solution; we will save money and time as a result of these improved cooking stoves. It's an enjoyable! "We used to go days without eating because of firewood," she said

The use and reliance on firewood is more prevalent in these districts, which is why citizens are being encouraged to use improved cooking stoves as one of the alternatives for forest protection.

Spridio NSHIMIYIMANA, acting Director General of the Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), explained that the distribution of improved cooking stoves in Nyagatare and Kirehe through the AREECA project is in line with forest protection.

"We have distributed 500 improved cooking stoves in two districts, but the goal is to promote citizen’s ownership in forest protection." This province has a small area of forests, and many citizens rely on firewood for cooking. These environmental friendly improved cooking stoves will help them to use less firewood, spend less time in cooking, and will enable in the protection of project’s activities." He said

The AREECA project is on track to restore the ecological functionality and biological productivity of the landscapes of Kirehe and Nyagatare districts, enhancing its ability to meet multiple objectives such as biodiversity conservation, climate change resilience, and improved livelihoods.

The 4 years’ project is funded by the International Climate Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). Since 2020, AREECA project has done various activities such as 1000 improved cooking stoves distributed to vulnerable citizens in both districts, 500 hectares of agroforestry planted, new forests planted on 17ha, forests rehabilitation on 104ha, roadside trees planted on 10km, and 1500 fruit trees distributed in Nyagatare, whereas new forests cover 120ha, agroforestry covers 500ha, roadside trees cover 10km, and 1500 fruits trees distributed in Kirehe district. The project in ongoing and will end in 2024.

More improved cooking stoves were distributed in Kirehe and Nyagatare districts

Group photo: Spridio Nshimiyimana (the Acting DG of RFA), Nzirabatinya Modeste(The Vice Mayor FED/ Kirehe District) and citizens