From January 27 to 29, 2025, the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) conducted the training sessions for local facilitators tasked with guiding residents in developing Village Land Use Action Plans for the Congo Nile Divide Project. 

The initiative aims to combat erosion and improve living conditions in the Congo Nile Divide region.

The project targets the conservation and restoration of the Congo-Nile Divide, a high elevation area covering 444,600 hectares. It's a joint effort by several government bodies, including RWB and the Rwanda Forest Authority, focusing on Rutsiro and Karongi Districts.

Pamela Ruzigana, the Catchment Restoration and Erosion Control Division Manager, emphasized the importance of the training. "The success of this project depends on how well you communicate these lessons to the community," she told the attendees. 

Financially supported by the Green Climate Fund, the project seeks to boost community resilience to climate variability in Rwanda’s Congo Nile Divide region through forest and landscape restoration. 

Planned activities under RWB's component include restoring 1,500 hectares of riparian land, rehabilitating 39 km of degraded gullies, protecting 300 km of riverbanks, stabilizing terraces across 1,673 hectares, creating 434 hectares of new radical terraces, and developing progressive terraces on a land area of 1,000 hectares.

This training session marks the RWB's pivotal step in ensuring well-managed water resources through environmental conservation, directly benefiting the communities in the Congo Nile Divide.