By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU
Officials at the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have reveled that Sebeya Catchment Management Plan developed under Water for Growth remains an important, highly relevant and valuable technical document that continues to inform IWRM interventions in Sebeya by Rwanda Water Board and Districts, TOP AFRICA NEWS has exclusively learnt.
Glenn Raynor. Landscape Restoration and IWRM Team Leader at IUCN has told this website that 'Since development of the Sebeya Catchment Management Plan the focus in Sebeya has shifted to a community approach, piloting participatory community-level planning and local-level ownership of Landscape Restoration and Integrated Water Resources Management processes.'
'Hence the catchment plan is implemented through Village Land Use Action plans (VLUAPs) across the catchment.' He added.
In the past residents of Sebeya Catchment have been prone to various disasters that have claimed lives and various infrastructures in addition to human activities that have often contributed to the destruction of the Sebeya River while studies have shown that it is a water reserve of great importance to the people and the country as a whole.
In an effort to find a lasting solution to the problems in the Sebeya Catchment, the Government of Rwanda, in collaboration with the Embassy of Netherland Kingdom through the SNV International Development Agency, conducted a study to highlight the urgency of the catchment rehabilitation in order to protect the health of the population, the environment and controlling erosion that has continued to hit the area while it is one of the most productive parts of the country especially the potato and tea plantations.
Mr. Glenn Raynor said that 'Since the launch of the new project phase in May 2019 the focus has shifted to piloting a community approach, a cost-effective methodology that empowers the population to actively engage in embedding IWRM to produce Landscape and community benefits.'
It is clear that the methodology selected in the implementation of the Sebeya Catchment Landscape Rehabilitation will be productive and there is hope that the main goal of the project will be achieved.
'Landscape Restoration and IWRM measures in Sebeya are being implemented by the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) in collaboration with the districts of Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro and Ngororero.' Mr. Glenn Raynor said
However, he added that 'Implementation progress was impacted by unexpected disruptions due to COVID 19 emergency measures but concerted efforts are being made to catch up and deliver in accordance with established timeframes.'
Mr. Glenn Raynor explained that 'IUCN's role is not direct implementation but rather leads a consortium of partners including SNV and RWARRI providing technical assistance to RWB and Districts with funding from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Rwanda under the Embedding Water Management in Rwanda (EWMR) project.'
The main tasks of IUCN includes coordination, planning, development of technical specifications, provision of Landscape Restoration and IWRM policy advice to inform decision makers, technical and quality monitoring of implemented measures and provision of capacity building to RWB, Districts staff and other structures mandated with supporting achievement of IWRM targets and finally knowledge management and documentation to scale best practices and lessons learned in Sebeya to other catchments across Rwanda.
According to officials, the Sebeya Landscape Rehabilitation project aims at increasing livelihoods and conservation benefits in Sebeya & other catchments through restoration and improved natural resources management
Sebeya Catchment is shared between Rubavu, Rutsiro, Nyabihu and Ngororero Districts.
It has an area of 336 km2 and is facing social and environmental challenges, as it has some of the steepest slopes, highest mountains and a population density exceeding the national average at 400 people/km2.
Sebeya Catchment Plan revealed that around 18000 ha are threatened by soil erosion.
The area is characterized by floods in Rubavu District and river siltation which has negative impacts on water supply and energy production downstream.
'Given that many of the environmental issues affecting the catchment are localized depending on factors such as the steepness of the slopes, extent of deforestation, agricultural practices, fragility of the soils the presence of mining operations, the impacts of climate change inter alia Village Land Use Action plans (VLUAPs) can also be combined and aggregated to Micro-Catchment Action Plans (MCAPs) where these do not already exist.' Mr. Glenn Raynor added
The Government of Rwanda (GoR) has set ambitious targets to become a middle-income state by 2030. This includes a set related sub-targets for water including increased access to hydroelectricity and 100% access to safe and clean water for all.
At the same time climate change models for Rwanda predict increasingly intense rainfall at sub-daily level putting many of these ambitious targets at risk.
Mr. Glenn Raynor saide 'Sebeya Catchment Management Plan (2018-2024) details strategic actions, including the establishment of National Spatial Data Infrastructure to achieve better estimations of GHG emissions from changes to land use and forest cover thus enabling improved planning and implementation of specific mitigation actions.'
 Other planned measures include updates to Rwanda's climate change vulnerability index every five years to track the evolving situation of vulnerability to climate change.
Experts said that with regards to landscape restoration and IWRM these measures must take into account local and macro level impacts of climate change.
This includes mapping existing and future water needs and uses and ensuring that hydrological modelling is accurate and is kept up to date in accordance with changes to hydrology caused by climate change.
Mr. Glenn Raynor revealed that 'The application of nature based solutions through strategic forest and landscape restoration combined with biophysical measures such as improved drainage infrastructure, gully protection, terracing and agro-forestry will be necessary to strengthen resilience but these measures must be designed using the best possible climate change data for them to be effective and fit for the purpose of helping control and dissipate intensifying run-off during predicted heavy rains.'
'At the same time measures will need to be designed to ensure that water resources are appropriately managed to ensure adequate supplies while preventing erosion and destruction of homes, crops and infrastructure by downstream flooding.' He noted
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