How do Rwanda Water Resources Board, IUCN Rwanda view the current conservation of water resources in Rwanda?

By: Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

As the Rwandan government continues to focus on water resources management, water policy implementers believe that much has been done despite the long-term goals to be achieved in the sector.

This was revealed during a recent Radio program on Radio Isango Star in which officials from the Rwanda Water resources Board and IUCN Country  Representative and Regional Coordinator for Forest Landscape and Livelihoods focused on water management in Rwanda.

Charles Karangwa, IUCN Country representative in Rwanda and Regional Coordinator Forest Landscape and Livelihoods, revealed that in fact Rwanda has a UNIQUENESS in policy designing but also in implementation.

“So one of the things we are very proud of as an international organization working in different countries, in Africa we work in more than 35 countries, in Rwanda one of the uniqueness, as I said, is that they adopt good policies and combine them with actions that lead to long-term change.” Karangwa said.

He further added that there are still issues to be addressed in terms of water resources management. “But in reality there are many activities that the Government of Rwanda is stepping up which is what we are very grateful for, among them are creation of a Water Resources Board and this is in the context of continuing to actually show that Water Resources have a large part in the country’s life as well as in its economy.”

Mr. Karangwa noted that this is the uniqueness of Rwanda. “But then again, in addition to these policies and practices, and now that the people themselves are involved, that is something that we are very proud of as a day-to-day organization working with the government on the conservation of water resources.”

“There is still a long way to go to ensure water resources are safeguarded because such activities are long-term and those resources are permanent assets that do not expect to go anywhere.

“So it requires a lot of effort, but in reality there are programs, and there is a lot of investment in water conservation, which is what we see as something to be commended here in Rwanda.” He said

Some of the most pressing issues in the management of Rwanda’s water resources, including rainwater runoff that causes soil erosion in rivers and streams.

The Head of IUCN Rwanda explains that “between 60 and 350 tons of the soil per year per hectare eroded into water bodies” “As in the western part of the country, from Nyabihu to Ngororero in these mountainous areas, there are about 100 tons of soil per hectare swept every year,” he said. “When you go to parts of Gakenke district, about 70 tons, you go to Gicumbi district which is about 60 tons, in the East because maybe there are no high mountains, the swept soil is about 30 tons per hectare every year,” explains Mr. Karangwa.

In order to address these issues, the Government of Rwanda is implementing various programs, including projects with various partners, to protect rivers and lands, with the aim of securing Rwanda in terms of the availability of enough water resources that are important to the country and its inhabitants.

Christine Niyonambaza, Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Water Resources Board, explains that the Government of Rwanda has set up a water Resources Board, to ensure the management of water resources all over the country.

“The Board was established because of the problems in the conservation of water resources, the protection of water from pollution, and the use of water,” she said.

Niyonambaza explains that the Rwanda Water Resources Board has many responsibilities but there are three main ones including Erosion Control, Flood Management especially in the North and West and the third is to ensure that there is enough water in reservoirs stocked for long-term use.

“We have water resources in lakes and rivers, and we have water resources in dams, but we have to ensure there is long-term water storage. It is in this context that the Board has been created to play a role in Erosion control, flood control and ensure adequate water resources for future use, especially as it is highlighted in the 2050 vision.”

She added that although the RWB is new, it has already achieved a lot in collaboration with various stakeholders including the IUCN.

“So far there are a lot of projects, which have already been done. As far as flood control is concerned, you have heard that water that was coming from the volcanoes and damaging property in Musanze district, and people losing their lives.

 “The project is funded by the Government of Rwanda and the activities implemented in the project include the construction of ponds that capture water from volcanoes, the construction of water channels, the construction of large-scale ponds, the construction of bridges or the expansion to provide adequate space to the running water.” Niyonambaza also said that there are other large projects in the West specifically in Rubavu, Rutsiro, Nyabihu and Ngororero districts.

The project, funded by the Netherlands, is being implemented by various stakeholders including the Government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Water Resources Board, IUCN, SNV, and other close partners at the community level including Imbaraga Farmers Organization and Rwanda Rural Rehabilitation Initiative, RWARRI, District Administration in which the project operates and local authorities.

 “This project is being implemented in the Sebeya Catchment. The project consists of two parts: the first part is to prevent flooding caused by the Sebeya River, the second part is Landscape restoration. ” Niyonambaza explains.

In the flood control section, the Sebeya project includes major infrastructure to be built on the Sebeya River, among them are the construction of a lateral dyke that accumulates water when the river is full, and now this lateral dyke is under construction, and construction of a water retention wall to prevent the river from overflowing which is now complete.

“The wall has started to produce positive results as you have heard in recent days, Sebeya has flooded, but the overflowing has been lower than in previous years, as the already completed Gisunyu-Karambo wall has prevented water from causing problems,” she said.

“There is another dam to be built at a place called Musabike, which is also a very large infrastructure, I think the preparation work for it has also started. That’s a big project for Sebeya, but there are other Quick Interventions underway to prevent floods and soil erosion in the catchment.”

Niyonambaza added that there are activities for the construction of terraces, planting of trees that hold the soil in order to prevent them from going into the Sebeya River and so on.

The water management in Rwanda is taking an interesting step. The Rwandan government continues to do so in various areas. In addition to the western and northern parts of the country, there are other activities aimed at conserving the Nyabugogo River, Nyabarongo and the Muvumba River in Eastern Rwanda.

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