19th April 2022: In August 2021, the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) embarked on restoring Giciye, Satinsyi, Karago, Mugogo, and Ndiza sub-catchments in both Musanze and Nyabihu Districts.

The five catchments,in both Rwanda's Northern and Western Provinces, are distinguished by intensive agriculture, heavy rainfall, steep slopes that cause soil erosion, and subsequent flooding that destroys existing infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

Their restoration activities, however, are being carried out through the 'Giciye, Satinsyi, Karago, Mugogo-Ndiza sub-catchments Project.'

The project objectives revolve around increasing resilience to climate change hazards (floods, landslides, erosion) through the promotion of land husbandry technologies by restoring degraded lands; protecting existing infrastructure (roads, bridges) from siltation and soil erosion impacts; and improving socio-economic livelihoods of the local population through green job creation.

In accordance with the prioritization of the most urgent interventions, RWB kicked off the restoration activities in Mugogo, Giciye, Nyamutera sub-catchments, as well as flood control for Musarara and Kazirankara rivers.

From August 2021 to December 2022, the project's first phase targets include 345 hectares of trenches in forests, 100 hectares of progressive terraces, and 5kilometers of gullies in Mugogo sub-catchment; 400 hectares of trenches in forests, 100 hectares of progressive terraces, 15 kilometers of buffer zones protection and 5 kilometer of gully protection in Nyamutera sub-catchment; 235 hectares trenches in the forest, 50 hectares of progressive terraces, 20 kilometers of buffer zones protection and 10km of gullies protection in Giciye sub-catchment and excavation, neatly heaping, and planting grasses and trees for Musarara and Kazirankara rivers.

The second phase, so far, slated for September 2021 to January 2023 will have various soil erosion control interventions implemented such as 50 hectares of trenches forests, 100 hectares of progressive terraces, 10 kilometers of gullies, and 226 hectares planted with grasses on contour lines and live check-dams in Mugogo sub-catchment; 90 hectares of progressive terraces, 10 kilometers of buffer zones protection and 5km of gully protection in Nyamutera sub-catchment; and 221 hectares of trenches forests, 421 hectares of progressive terraces, 10 kilometers of buffer zone protection and 10 kilometers of gullies protection in Giciye sub-catchment.

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