Environmental Research Group Oxford Limited

Study Commissioned by the International Fund for Agricultural Development
on behalf of the Government of Rwanda

Rwanda: Umutara Livestock/Range Development and Environmental Protection Project

Pro-active Environmental Assessment of Investment Options

August 1999

Summary

Rwanda faces immense challenges of post war rehabilitation, resettlement and reconciliation, but at the same time must look to the future and take steps towards achieving the ultimate goal of sustainable human and economic development

As proposed in the Arusha Accords, Umutara Prefecture was established in 1996 from the degazetted lands of the Akagere National Park, the former Mutara Game Reserve and three communes from adjoining prefectures in eastern Rwanda. Since then, an internationally supported resettlement programme has resulted in a major influx of returnees and their livestock from neighbouring countries. Arable and agro-pastoral farming systems predominate in the old communes, which collectively account for two-thirds of the human population and 15% of the cattle. Pastoral and agro-pastoral farming systems predominate in the seven new communes, which account for a third of the human population and 85% of the cattle. In these new communes, there are ten times as many cattle per person than in the old communes.

With and without project scenarios for old and new communes are presented, which, given the recent history and established trends, highlight the adverse environmental consequences of not proceeding with the proposed project.

A wide variety of environmental concerns are identified and a series of intervention options are considered. There is a clear and urgent need to address immediate community concerns, but there is also a general requirement for institutional strengthening and capacity building, and the formulation of planning guidelines with a vision of Umutara in decades to come.

Proposed Objectives

A twin-track approach to the development of the Umutara region is proposed, with the following complementary objectives:

	Reducing poverty and dependency, through the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, farming systems and land management at household and commune levels; and
	Institutional strengthening and capacity-building for resource assessment, regional planning, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation at prefecture level.

Proposed Target Groups

PRA studies identified three specific target groups:

	Small scale arable farmers: have less than one hectare of land for cultivation and no livestock. Most live in the old communes, where soils have been degraded by years of cultivation and fertility is low; yields and revenues are insufficient to cover food and basic needs.
	Small to medium scale pastoralists, owning up to 50 head of cattle, with limited pasture and no permanent source of water. Such families have little or no cultivation and practice seasonal transhumance in search of dry season water and pasture.
	Small-scale agro-pastoralists: practicing mixed agriculture, with 1-2 hectares of land and 1-3 cattle, sheep or goats. Limited means of production, but lack inputs and labour to exploit available resources to best advantage, and thus escape form poverty.

Interventions options

	Promote community based natural resource management and land use planning;
	Promote soil and water conservation practices;
	Promote agrarian reform and equitable land allocation;
	Promote further integration of livestock and crop production;
	Promote leguminous crops, nutritious grasses, alley cropping and live fencing;
	Promote plant nurseries for both indigenous and exotic species and fuel efficient cooking;
	Promote marketing of crop and livestock products;
	Promote alternative employment/income generating opportunities;
	Promote primary education, further training and appropriate extension messages;
	Promote sustainable animal health care delivery, especially in remoter regions;
	Promote livestock and wildlife co-existence in rangelands around Akagera National Park.

Strategic planning recommendations

In view of the substantial environmental risks and financial costs associated with resettlement, infrastructural development and livestock production in semi-arid regions, and the general paucity of reliable information about land and water resources in Umutara, it is recommended that the programme/project should commence with an information collection and planning phase. Preliminary activities should include:

	Commissioning a comprehensive hydro-geological survey of the prefecture and evaluation of piping water from the various lakes, reservoirs, rivers and groundwater sources to supply stock and domestic water.
	Commissioning aerial photography and production of new topographic maps of the prefecture at a scale of 1:50,000, for water resource development, infrastructure planning and facilitating cadastral surveys of land allocations;
	Preparation of a comprehensive development plan that integrates infrastructural development (roads, water supplies, schools, clinics), with anticipated/proposed settlement patterns and projected population growth, market access, regional trade, telecommunications etc..
	Examination of possibilities for implementing a voluntary de-stocking scheme, whereby herders in Umutara Prefecture might sell animals to the GoR, or some other intermediary, for distribution in communes in the south and west, where numbers are low.
	Collaboration with other stakeholders to safeguard the Akagera National Park and to ensure dry season grazing and watering by large numbers of cattle is prohibited within the Park; and that wildlife that leave the confines of the park are not indiscriminately killed. (It is recognised, however, that rogue animals, which persistently kill domestic stock, raid crops or endanger human life must be controlled and if necessary eliminated.)
	Conduct a detailed survey to gather spatial and statistical information for the whole prefecture, and provide an objective basis for planning and the formulation of a master plan for the future development of the prefecture.