allAfrica.com: Rwanda: Nile Basin Discourse Forum Launches Three Studies (Page 1 of 1)

The Nile Basin Discourse Forum recently launched three new projects, the implementation of which should start next year. The Nile Basin Discourse Forum (NBDF) is a regional partnership to promote collaboration between the different countries that share the river to achieve sustainable socio-economic development through the equitable utilization and the benefits of the Nile Basin water and other sources.

Rusizi II hydropower generation center, which will be upgraded to become Rusizi III.

In order to achieve this, NBDF Rwanda recently launched three projects based on studies carried out late last year. Their implementation is to begin by next year, so the Forum also called on the members of the civil society to see how these projects can best benefit the population.

The first project is the Impact of Efficient Water Use in Agriculture Production and Water Harvesting Project (NBI-Ewuap). The study area of this project included Gitarama, Muhanga and Ruhango districts in Southern Province. It aim is to use natural water resources more efficiently in order to produce enough on the available cultivated land.

The area constitutes about 90 % of the total cropped land, which is to be brought under irrigation.

The study also included Bugesera district, where more than half of the surface receives small scale irrigation which is sufficient for crop production. Despite this fact, the whole area is subjected to drought conditions especially in the dry season and in the months of January and February.

Another district included was Gatsibo in Eastern province, where about 600 ha will be brought under drip irrigation in a project financed by World Bank through the International Development Association (IDA).

During the launch of this project, it was pointed out that one of the socio-economical aspects that will positively influence its implementation is the fact that the people of Muhanga district are used to work into cooperatives while doing agricultural activities, constructing houses and excavating fish ponds. This also the case in Bugesera.

Among the constraints for this project are the fact that the people in Muhanga use to grow grasses for animal production as well as the production of cereals, and that the adoption of water harvesting techniques will not be easily achieved.

The main problem to be overcome in Bugesera is that orphans and widows might not participate in project implementation.

The project will also see to it that regional consultation on community-managed irrigation is strengthened, that there is awareness on efficient irrigation water use, best practices for community-managed irrigation are explored and taught, and that national capacity for community-managed irrigation is enhanced.

Frank Habineza, the national coordinator of NBDF further explained that the members of the civil society recommended that sensitization is needed within the ministry of agriculture, and the synergy with other undergoing or under development related projects must be ensured.

Shared hydro-power plant

The second study that concerned Communities' Involvement in the Power Development and Trade on Rusumo and Rusizi III.

The NBDF national coordinator remarked that this project aims at the construction of a hydroelectric power plant at the Rusumo Falls at the border between Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as the construction of transmission lines linking the plant to the power grids of the tree participating countries Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi.

Participants at the launch however observed that this project was to start next year, and yet the people concerned were not aware of it, so more efforts should be made to sensitize the people affected by this project.

It will be very unfair, they pointed out, that people in that area would be told to leave their houses when they are not even informed about such a project.

Also, the people who will loose their land due to the project should be properly compensated. Furthermore, it was remarked that the Rusumo area should be the first to benefit from the project; so they should be given electricity, and not just electric cables pass over their houses only to benefit people elsewhere.

The third study launched deals with stakeholder's participation in NBI's five projects and programs in Rwanda which are the Nile Trans-boundary Environment Action Project; Micro-Grant Program, Confidence Building Stakeholders Involvement Project; Socio-economic Development and Benefit Sharing; Kagera Trans-boundary Integrated Water Resources Management Project; and the Applied Training Project.

Amongst the various constraints about these projects were the fact that many stakeholders, whether local people, expert institutions or other government agencies, lack the time or financial resources to participate in these projects and that low levels of education, and the technical nature of many development-related issues, can be a major barrier to effective participation of the community in these projects.

It was also observed that insensitivity to gender issues, and particularly to the lower status accorded to women in decision-making in many parts of the world, is a common constraint to effective stakeholder involvement in these projects.

Therefore, it was recommended by participants that for these projects to be effectively implemented, people should organize themselves, accept responsibilities and become involved in local decision-making.

Frank Habineza explained that these studies will now be publicized and should be used as policy documents by the governments concerned. "Now that we have assembled all the data needed for the study of these projects, the Minister of water should see to it that they effectively advance."

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