Focus Media (Kigali)
Rodrigue Rwirahira
10 January 2009
During the recently held ORTPN research day, scientists from various fields exchanged ideas about their findings.
A conservation and wildlife agency such as the Rwandan Office for Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) heavily relies on research to focus and adjust its policies. It is in this respect that every year it organizes a Research Day, bringing together individuals and institutions who conducted research regarding Rwanda's national parks and environment. Fifteen studies were presented during this year's event.
"We have gathered a large number of experts from various fields such as eco-tourism, conservation and protection, or wildlife monitoring, to sit together and share scientific experiences and information," said Francois Bizimungu, Research and Monitoring Manager at ORTPN. "It is important for us to have extensive knowledge about wildlife and biotopes, so as to ensure its long-lasting protection."
"Moreover, visitors, especially in ecotourism, often request detailed information about fauna and flora, so we must be able to provide reliable facts," Bizimungu remarked.
Amongst the research presented this year were such varied subjects as "The Impact of Agro Forestry-Methods on Regeneration of the forest: case study of Gishwati" by Marshall Banamwana, or "Presentation on knowledge and factors influencing local people's attitudes towards the community conservation around Virunga National Park" by Prosper Uwingeri.
"All this is scientifically interesting research that can be useful by not only for tourists but also for the population in general," Bizimungu remarked.
Research and Monitoring Manager also pointed out that ORTPN actively supports and encourages research. "Most of the researchers are sponsored by ORTPN in terms of access to parks and other facilitations. Financially, we have only supported only one student from NUR for research in Akagera national park, and we also provided him with accommodation and easy access."
He added, however, that ORTPN is ready to give out more financial support, but that the mechanisms to accord grants are still being worked out.
As for the researchers, Bizimungu said they are mainly students, yet sometimes institutions such as IRST (Institute for Scientific and Technological Research) also come in, financing their research themselves.
"We also occasionally get foreign researchers who ask for facilitation but not money, and in return we expect them to publish their work in their countries," Bizimungu said. "This shows how the Rwandan tourism scene is of great importance even at the international level."
"We want to base our decision-making on scientific research , so we continue to encourage researchers and support them as much as we can," remarked Fidel Ruzigandekwe, the executive director of the Rwanda Wildlife Agency. "Therefore, collaboration with our partners and different higher learning institutions will be maintained and developed to make research reality."
As for the researchers, each day in the field is an amazing experience. As one of them, Nicolas Ntare, remarked: "For us each day, each move, each situation or phenomenon either by the people, flora or fauna is the new discovery that has to be recorded for research perspectives."
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