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Based on the climate change knowledge gap analysis conducted by GIZ countrywide at the local level, showed limited knowledge of climate change and far less of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), among local communities and constitute a significant obstacle to NDC implementation success since they are potential implementers and/or beneficiaries.

As a result, Action pour la Protection de l’Environnement et la Promotion des Filières Agricoles (APEFA), developed the project entitled, “Increasing Awareness of Rural Communities in Climate Change and NDCs for Their Effective Participation in NDC Implementation in 4 Districts of the Amayaga region of Rwanda” and it is secured funds from GIZ-Rwanda and WINS the Global Consult.

APEFA’s Executive Director, Oscar Nzabonimpa signing the contract

This six-month project, which started on March 2024, is implementing in the twenty-four (24) selected sectors from four (4) districts (Nyanza, Ruhango, Kamonyi, and Gisagara), of the Southern province of Rwanda where each District has six (6) sectors, the selection was based on the vulnerability of communities and the imbalance between population needs and Environmental and natural resources.

This project’s main objective is to build the local communities’ capacity of the Amayaga region by increasing their knowledge and awareness of NDCs and climate change in the Amayaga region for effective participation to enhance sustainable land management in the agricultural lands in the landscape, increase the productivity of planted forests and reduce the negative impacts of household energy systems in the NDC implementation.

  • PLANNED ACTIVITIES

The project activities are:

1. Organize stakeholders’ engagement workshop

During stakeholders’ engagement workshop

2. Training of community representatives at sector and cell levels (Local leaders selected from the project intervention area, community representatives that spend day to day with communities, training will capacitate them with NDC knowledge implementation, climate change facts and impacts after they will disseminate information to communities during the implementation of the project and after the project ends through platforms that will be established at village level.)

Erasme Ntazinda, Mayor of Nyanza District giving his opening remarks of the workshop

3. Training of students and teachers from the school’s environmental clubs

4. Gender-targeted skills training with a target of 15 women per District

Diane Tuyisenge, Project Coordinator at the Gender-targeted skills training with a target of women

5. Awareness campaign series (organized football matches)

6. Radio live talk shows

7. Demonstration tour

8. Establish community platforms at the local level for regular climate change knowledge exchange.

After carrying out the training, we expect that the NDCs and climate change knowledge exchange will be disseminated by a trained community, CDD (Community Driven Development), and FFS (Farmer Field School) group members and the environmental committees in sectors within the project intervention area.

  • Brainstorming event of the NDC awareness Campaign project

The Southern Province organized a dynamic brainstorming meeting for the explanation of the project held at Southern Province HQ on March 13, 2024, the brainstorming event was chaired by the Governor of South Province, Alice Kayitesi. attended by mayors from the Amayaga region and his technical team, and exciting plans to boost awareness on climate change and NDC participation in Amayaga’s four districts (Gisagara, Nyanza, Ruhango and Kamonyi). Ready to empower rural communities for sustainability.

Governor of the Southern Province, Alice Kayitesi

The Governor of the Southern Province, Alice Kayitesi proposed that the project be extended to all 8 districts of the province to increase the capacity of people in the NDC implementation plan. Participants discussed and requested APEFA to extend the project if possible.

Mayors of 4 four districts (Gisagara, Nyanza, Ruhango and Kamonyi)

APEFA’s Executive Director, Oscar Nzabonimpa reacted and approved some activities extension like stakeholder engagement, ultimately, he focused on “awareness campaigns through football competition to be carried out in the whole Southern province”.

APEFA’s Executive Director, Oscar Nzabonimpa

The Province/Districts agreed to help the project team in each step of implementation with close collaboration in community mobilization and key district staff including mayors themselves will deliver the message related to the project.