The Government of Rwanda on March 17, 2026, through the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), has launched the Nyungwe–Ruhango Corridor Restoration Project, a major environmental initiative aimed at restoring degraded ecosystems, strengthening climate resilience, and improving livelihoods for communities living along the Nyungwe–Ruhango landscape.
The five-year project (2025–2030), supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with technical assistance from the World Bank, forms part of Rwanda’s broader strategy to promote sustainable landscape management and nature based solutions under the Green Amayaga Program.
According to officials, the initiative will focus on restoring forests, wetlands, riverbanks, and other degraded landscapes across parts of Nyanza, Ruhango, and Nyamagabe districts. In doing so, the project seeks not only to reverse ecosystem degradation but also to help communities better withstand climate related shocks.
The Nyungwe–Ruhango corridor has been facing growing environmental pressures, including soil erosion, land degradation, biodiversity loss, floods, and landslides. These challenges threaten ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and rural livelihoods. However, through ecosystem-based restoration and climate smart land management practices, the new project aims to stabilize landscapes, protect biodiversity, and safeguard essential ecosystem services on which communities depend.
Key interventions under the initiative will include afforestation and reforestation, wetland and riverbank rehabilitation, promotion of agroforestry, and sustainable land management practices. In addition, the project will support climate-resilient livelihoods while encouraging strong community participation.
Over its five-year implementation period, the project aims to restore more than 2,100 hectares of degraded forests and wetlands while improving sustainable management across nearly 9,000 hectares of productive landscapes. Moreover, it is projected to directly benefit around 290,000 people, with women accounting for at least 50 percent of the beneficiaries, according to REMA.
The initiative will also promote nature-based livelihoods and green jobs, particularly targeting youth and local enterprises.
Speaking at the launch, Juliet Kabera, Director General of REMA, said the project represents an expansion of ongoing ecosystem restoration efforts in Rwanda.
“The Nyungwe–Ruhango Corridor Restoration Project is part of Rwanda’s programmatic approach to landscape restoration. By expanding the work initiated under the Green Amayaga Project, we are scaling up ecosystem restoration efforts that protect biodiversity, reduce climate risks, and support sustainable livelihoods,” she said.
She also commended the World Bank for its continued partnership in supporting Rwanda’s environmental protection vision and called on communities to take full ownership of the project by actively engaging in its implementation to ensure lasting impact.
The World Bank’s Project Task Team Leader (TTL) Tuuli Johanna Bernardini, said that Rwanda has demonstrated that development and environmental protection can go hand in hand, while commending the country’s vision and its longstanding partnership with the World Bank in delivering meaningful impact for communities and the environment.
Meanwhile, officials noted that restoring critical ecosystems will contribute to reducing climate-related risks such as floods and landslides while improving agricultural productivity and protecting biodiversity in landscapes connected to Nyungwe National Park, one of Rwanda’s most ecologically important ecosystems.
At the same time, the project supports Rwanda’s broader national development and climate commitments, including Vision 2050, the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy, and the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
This launch of the Nyungwe–Ruhango Corridor Restoration Project reflects Rwanda’s continued commitment to integrating environmental conservation, climate action, and sustainable development. By restoring ecosystems while supporting communities, the initiative aims to ensure that both nature and people thrive in the long term.
