Within the framework of the national forest landscape restoration programme in Rwanda, the Giswhati landscape in-between the Nile and Congo basins receives funding from the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources (NRCan) through the International Model Forest Network (IMFN) and it’s Network for Africa  The African model forest network (AMFN) based in Cameroon.

This project whose objective is to restore the degraded landscape upstream Lake Karago and to build economic governance by creating a model forest in this landscape has just been launched in Kigali during a discussion workshop with the different institutional actors. The two discussion workshops (at national and local levels) enabled the establishment a link between the technical measures of restoration for this degraded area and governance stakes.  What is the basis for the creation of a model forest in this territory?

In the context of Lake Karogo and the specific topology of this hilly area, the need for reliable partners on hydrological and water management issues, including among qualified Rwandan organizations and services is urgent. It is a matter of mobilizing all actors from different ministerial sectors: Agriculture, natural resources, infrastructures, mines, etc. for institutional and technical networking, merging the two approaches. Based in Rwanda, this initiative remains a model of pan African project, because it brings into action the two regional bureaux of UICN of East Africa and of South Africa (ESARO), and of Central and West Africa (PACO), on the one hand and partnership between RAFM and UICN, on the other hand.

To learn more, please contact:

Dominique.endamana@iucn.org; t.bouki@africanmodelforests.org; j.gagoe@africanmodelforests.org

Available for download:

Launching of the project “Restoration of forest landscapes in interface with the model forest approach in the Giswhati landscape in Rwanda"