Communities in Ngororero District received a significant boost on Friday, March 8th with the distribution of at least 1,500 improved cookstoves. This marks the first batch of support activities delivered by RDO in collaboration with other partners, aiming to assist communities in weathering the storms of climate change and empowering them to take control of their own futures despite the most challenging circumstances.

RDO is currently executing the Climate Just Communities Project (CJCP) in Ngororero District, focusing on the rehabilitation of 104 houses destroyed by floods or landslides, facilitating terracing on 152Ha of land, and distributing and installing 4,500 cookstoves for vulnerable households.

Patrick Uwihoreye, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development in Ngororero District, presided over a ceremony at the Kageyo Sector offices to distribute cookstoves. He expressed sincere appreciation for the initiative, emphasizing its critical role in supporting families grappling with the harsh realities imposed by climate change.

The Vice Mayor observed that since the majority of the population in Ngororero are farmers, the project will significantly enhance farming land through terracing, which helps retain soils and facilitates easier rehabilitation.

Damascene Ntambara, the Project Coordinator at RDO, stated that their aim is to support communities in Ngororero in adopting measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“RDO will distribute and install 4,500 improved cookstoves that are energy-efficient. Additionally, we will build or repair houses that have been destroyed due to adverse climatic conditions and rehabilitate at least 152 hectares of land through radical terracing,” Ntambara explained. 

Present at the ceremony were representatives from Scotland, the primary funders of the project, and Trōcaire, the main subcontractor.

Cezarie Mukamana, a resident of Ruganda Village, Kageshi Cell in Kageyo Sector, has seen her house destroyed twice. Her family was selected as one of the first beneficiaries to have their house repaired.

Mukamana, an expectant mother of one child, is optimistic about having her new home, especially with her family eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new baby.

When visited to check on the status of the house, Mukamana expressed her gratitude to the local authorities and the project implementers for their support during this time of need. She explained that following the disasters, her family had to rent temporary shelter while her husband, Jean Claude Fayida, sought employment to support the family financially.

RDO is working on this project together with a consortium made of Trōcaire, Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund  (SCIAF), Christian Blind Mission (CBM) - UK, local partners including Rwanda Climate Change and Development Network (RCCDN), DUHAMIC-ADRI, DUTERIMBERE NGO, and the National Union of Disabilities Organisation Rwanda (NUDOR).

The consortium is implementing the 3- year Climate Just Communities Project (CJCP) in Rwanda to support communities most affected by the consequences of a changing climate, including droughts, floods, landslides, heatwaves and increasing storms. 

Working through local Rwandan organisations, communities particularly vulnerable members such as youth, women and persons with disabilities will receive support to develop their own plans to adapt to and recover from climate change.

Rwanda development organization is a non-Government organization established in 1995 to support the initiatives of Rwandese in social and economic development with a vision to see Rwandans in control of their own destiny, enjoying good standard of living and sustainable development.

RDO mission is to “empower partner communities including those vulnerable to improve their human capital, achieve food and nutrition security, and establish market linkages in a sustainable natural environment.” RDO has 5 strategic objectives that are in line with the vision and mission

RDO’s Strategic Objectives

1: To provide institutional support to farmer cooperatives as well as build individual farmer capacities in order to enhance their capacities to promote their social-economic development.

2: To promote environmental conservation through planting trees, combating soil erosion, to ensure the fragile environment is able to sustain its economic and ecological functions.

3: To improve the food security situation of target population so that they have at all times access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life

4: To promote gender equality and women empowerment to enable acquire resources, knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary to participate fully in the development process.

5: To support local communities to live a healthier life through Covid-19 pandemic prevention, Malaria& TB prevention and HIV/AIDS.RDO’s interventions have a national focus.

In line with objective 3, RDO is an implementing partner (IP) The global UN Joint Programme “Accelerating Progress Towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment” (JP RWEE) is being implemented by FAO, IFAD, UN Women and WFP. The programme provides holistic and integrated interventions to secure rural women’s livelihoods, rights and resilience and address the multiple challenges faced by rural women. RDO has been implementing partner in Phase I (2015-2022). The Programme activities in phase 1 were implemented to achieve four interlinked outcomes: rural women’s improved food and nutrition security; increased incomes to sustain livelihoods; enhanced leadership and participation in decision making; and creating a more gender responsive policy environment for rural women.  RDO implemented phase I in 3 Districts of Kirehe, Ngoma and Nyaruguru and the reached 1,986 direct beneficiaries including 1,653 women and 333 men these are grouped in 20 women cooperatives.  RDO trained them in entrepreneurship and business skills, tax laws and tax policies, financial literacy and leadership and quality standards and supported them with PH equipment to help improve quality of produce

Nkabikorere Kibimba women cooperative under JPRWEE supported with Moto Tricycle to facilitate transporting produce from the farm to the drying shed and transport commodities to market 

Women cooperative in Nyaruguru district  supported with crates and tarpaulins

JPRWEE PHASE 11 Main goal is to secure rural women’s livelihoods, rights and resilience to advance Sustainable development, Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. The programme has 4 outcomes:  Improved food security and nutrition for rural women and their households that contribute to equitable and sustainable food; Rural women’s income, decent work and economic autonomy increased to  secure their livelihoods and build resilience; Rural women’s voice and agency increased for full and equal participation and leadership in their households , communities , organizations and  governance systems; Gender -responsive legal frame works , policies and institutions strengthened to create enabling environment for rural women to secure their livelihoods , rights and resilience

RDO is implementing partner in JPRWEE Phase II which will end in 2027 and extends in five districts namely: Gisagara & Nyaruguru in southern province, Nyamasheke in western province, and Kirehe and Ngoma in eastern province and targets to reach 9,101 Rights holders among whom 70% will be women.  RDO has participated in targeting and profiling of beneficiaries, introducing the programme to local authorities in all the five districts.  RDO is in exercise of mobilizing targeted rightsholders to form saving groups, train them in financial literacy   and facilitate them to become formal cooperatives. I GISAGARA 98 saving groups have been formed with 2,274 members (F 1,551, M 623) and made savings of RWF 4,191,370 and in Nyamasheke, 56 saving groups have been formed with 1,366 members (F 1,177, M 189) and made savings of RWF 1,477,500. The exercise is going on even in other districts of Kirehe, Ngoma and Nyaruguru.

JPRWEE women group members in Ngoma district, after training on financial literacy

 Mobilization meeting in Gitwa cell/Gihombo sector, Nyamasheke District

 Mobilization meeting in Jarama cell/Gihombo sector/Nyamasheke District

To scale-up regenerative agriculture practices in the western province, at least 158 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) facilitators were graduated at an event held at Hill View Hotel in Rubavu District. The graduated FFS facilitators are lead farmers from Ngororero, Nyabihu, Rubavu and Rutsiro districts.

The event was the first of its kind to graduate farmers who were trained in the first and second cohort between 2021 and 2023. This was conducted under the REALMS Project Implemented by RDO and Imbaraga Farmer’s Organisation with support from SNV Rwanda and funding from IKEA Foundation.

Officiating at the event, Patrick Nathan Uwihoreye, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic development in Ngororero District pointed out that Rwanda has embarked on an agricultural revolution and farmers are very critical in this journey.

He urged farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices and stop the traditional practices, this is meant to enhance production and to commercialize agriculture in sustainable ways. 

The Vice Mayor applauded regenerative agriculture practices started by REALMS Project which aims at restoring and improving soil health, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate climate impacts for sustainability.

Rwanda’s western province as a mountainous region faces a lot of climate change effects and soil erosion is a big problem, most of the agricultural land is washed away, the project works in the region to help reverse some of these effects.

Eugene Rwibasira, the Executive Secretary of RDO thanked the new graduates for their tireless dedication to improve farming. He told them that the country looks up to farmers to feed the nation.

Through regenerative agriculture, Rwibasira said it helps grow crops without necessarily relying on inorganic fertilizers and unpredictable rainfall, which can ensure food security.

He said that all those who had been awarded certificates now have the skills to make food accessible, available and affordable by increasing crop production.

“Land degradation and climate change affect food production, but now you have the skills to revert this and make us food secure,” Rwibasira addressed the farmers.

The graduation event on February 8, 2024 had attracted different stakeholders where many talked about the slow deterioration of soil healthy which now presents an opportunity for innovative practices like regenerative agriculture to improve the soils.

 Through evaluations conducted that led up to the graduation of FFS facilitators, best performers were identified. In each district, three FFS facilitators with outstanding performance in adopting and implementing regenerative agriculture practices were selected.

The three top performers in each of the four districts were awarded with different prizes, the first was awarded a brand new bicycle, the second received a wheelbarrow and sprayer pump, the third was given a sprayer pump and larger bucket. 

At the event, some model farmers and SMEs working with SNV had the opportunity to exhibit some of the practices in a mini expo showcasing regenerative agriculture products and services.