The African Development Bank Group and the Government of Rwanda have launched the Nature-Based Flood Adaptation to Increase Community Resilience in the Western Part of Rwanda, at a 3-day workshop and training session in Kigali, the country's capital.
The flood adaptation project, to be implemented by the Rwanda Water Resources Board, will be financed by a $9 million grant from the African Development Fund, the concessional lending window of the Bank Group. It will deploy ecosystem-based solutions in flood-prone areas to address recurrent flooding, soil erosion and land degradation in high-risk watersheds, ultimately reducing flood risks and enhancing climate resilience for vulnerable communities in western Rwanda.
Western Rwanda has experienced increasingly frequent floods and landslides in recent years, causing loss of life, residential damage, public infrastructure collapse and disruption to economic activity.
Speaking on behalf of the Bank Group's Rwanda Country Manager, Aissa Toure Sarr, Vivian Chinyolo, Country Programme Officer for Rwanda, said: "Climate-related disasters continue to pose serious risks to communities in the western region. Through this investment, the Bank is supporting sustainable, nature-based solutions that not only reduce flood risks but also strengthen livelihoods, enhance environmental protection, and create local employment opportunities."
The initiative will restore degraded catchments, stabilise riverbanks, rehabilitate steep slopes, and promote reforestation and sustainable land management, benefiting 620,000 people vulnerable to flood and landslide risks. Implementation will also include watershed rehabilitation, tree planting and environmental monitoring, which are all expected to generate green jobs and build local technical capacity.
Through the introduction of climate information, early warning systems (EWS), and local planning for improved disaster preparedness, the project will strengthen the capacity of communities to adapt to changing climatic conditions, protecting lives, infrastructure and farmland. The implementation of the project will also prioritise gender equality and youth employment.
"This project represents a significant milestone in our national commitment to safeguarding vulnerable communities from the escalating impacts of climate change," said Richard Nyirishema, Executive Chairperson of the Rwanda Resource Board. "By prioritising nature-based solutions, we are strengthening resilience across high-risk catchment areas while protecting critical infrastructure, agricultural livelihoods, and the long-term sustainability of our water resources."
The project supports Rwanda's national climate resilience and sustainable landscape management priorities and reinforces AfDB's Climate Change and Green Growth Strategy.
The three-day launch workshop, which took place from 18-20 February 2026, included sessions which outlined the Bank's standards in procurement, financial management, environmental and social safeguards, and monitoring and evaluation, to ensure proper project start-up, and an efficient, transparent and results-driven delivery.
