Responding to Climate Change: The Case of Climate Change Adaptation in Bugesera District, Rwanda.

Introduction

The significant problem this generation faces is climate change, which Reidy (2020) defines as a change in the climate or its variability, which persists over time (20-30 years). Most scientists have argued that climate change impacts are devastating for humans, plants, animals, and their environment. Despite the existential threats of climate change to human beings and the environment, climate change response has been slow. The impacts of climate change include disasters such as flooding, droughts, mudslide, landslides, a threat to human health, food security, and livelihoods. With all of these harmful impacts of climate change, most people still believe that climate change is not an issue. However, climate change evidence is overwhelming: sea levels are rising; glaciers are melting; precipitation patterns are shifting, and the world is warming. The United Nations Development Programme (2018) describes Africa's point as a tipping point. This is due to Africa's projected rise in temperature, which is the highest globally. The increase in Africa's temperature has exacerbated the rate of flooding, droughts, and other natural disasters, which has made Africa's people, ecosystem, and economy vulnerable to climate change effects. Rwanda, like many other African countries, is vulnerable to climate change due to its significant temperature increase (Ngarukiyimana et al., 2021). Water pollution, erosion, flooding, drought, loss of biodiversity, and landslides are some of the effects of climate change in Rwanda (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, 2019). In the Bugesera district, the major impact of climate change is drought which has led to death and severe starvation of a number of people (Charles & Javan, 2013). The damages of climate change may not be avoided; therefore, climate change adaptation is needed to reduce the damage of climate change (Natural Resources Canada, 2015). Climate change adaptation assists global and local communities in responding to current climate change impacts and anticipating future ones. (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2020). This article exposes the impact of climate change and existing climate change adaptation measures in Rwanda, the socio-economic overview of Bugesera district, the impact of climate change in Bugesera, and profers recommendations for climate change adaptation.

Impacts of Climate Change in Rwanda

The impacts of climate change are experienced by everyone globally, from an accomplished businessman in London to a local farmer in Kigali. Rwanda, “Land of a thousand hills,” is one of the countries in the world that is experiencing the adverse impacts of climate change. Climate change has negative impacts on water supplies, agricultural production, biodiversity, human health, fish and forestry, and other fragile ecosystems, as well as having significant economic consequences in Rwanda (Ministry of Environment, 2021).

Flooding, landslides, and droughts are the significant impacts of climate change in Rwanda. Flooding and mudslides are common in the West; drought is common in the East (Ministry of Environment, 2021). Flooding and landslides have led to the death of several Rwandans, property and infrastructure damage, water pollution, soil erosion, and loss of livelihood (Ministry of Environment, 2021). Between 2009 and 2019, the country recorded around 3,309 disasters nationwide, and flooding and landslides accounted for most disasters (Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management, 2020). In the first two months (January to February) of 2022, around 40 people lost their lives in disaster-induced death, and over 370 houses were damaged (Nkurunziza, 2022). In 2018, according to the Republic of Rwanda (2018), climate change-induced disasters cost more than 200 million dollars in damage to property, crops, livestock, and other losses. It is estimated that additional net economic costs could be equivalent to a loss of almost 1% of Rwanda’s Gross Domestic Product each year by 2030.

Source: Sprudge

Existing Climate Change Adaptation Measures

In 2020, Rwanda's government proposed an ambitious climate action plan that included a 38 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to business as usual, equating to up to 4.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent mitigation (tCO2e) (Government of Rwanda, 2020). Recognizing that the impact of climate change may not be avoided, Rwanda is also focusing on adaptation strategies while fostering mitigation actions. Some of the renowned actions taken by the government of Rwanda are as follows: 

• Planting 25 million trees during the 2020/21 Forest Planting Season
• Restoring ecosystems and transforming degraded fragile landscapes into climate-resilient agriculture  
• Developing the renewable energy sector
• Establishing the green fund known as the Fund for Environment (FONERWA).

Source: Magoum

Socio-economic Overview of Bugesera District

Bugesera district is one of the seven districts that make up Rwanda's Eastern Province. According to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (2012), the Bugesera district has 391,000 people, with 56 percent of them being under the age of 19. People aged 65 and above account for 2.5 percent of the population. Females make up roughly 51% of the population, while the majority of the population is young, with 84 percent of the population under the age of 40. Bugesera District is ranked 13th among the poorest districts in Rwanda. About 48% of its population are poor and extremely poor, 20% and 28% respectively, and 58% are in the non-poor category (National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, 2012). The Bugesera district is among the many other districts in Rwanda that have experienced its share of the impact of climate change.

Impact of Climate Change in Bugesera District

Drought is the significant impact of climate change experienced in the Bugesera district. In 1999, 2006, and 2008, the district experienced a massive drought that severely affected the livelihood and welfare of the local people in Bugesera (Rwanda Environment Management Authority, 2009). In 2002, the whole district depended on external sources for food due to crop failure. Deforestation is the main reason for droughts in the district  (Charles & Javan, 2013). Because most people in the district depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood, local farmers are among the most affected people whenever a natural disaster, such as droughts, occurs (Charles & Javan, 2013). The local people still feel the effects of the droughts that hit Bugesera. Therefore, without taking action now, it will be very costly and challenging in the future to adapt to the impacts of the drought.  

Source: The New Times

Recommendation

Because the majority of the residents in Bugesera rely on ecosystem services for their survival, the Government of Rwanda, non-governmental organizations, and donors should focus on ecosystem restoration and management such as afforestation/reforestation, agroforestry practices, education, awareness, and training of local farmers to adopt climate-resilient practices in farming. By conserving the ecosystem, nature’s contributions to humankind can be effective and efficient. Therefore, local community people can develop and maintain means to enhance sustainable and eco-friendly sources of livelihood. With sustainable and eco-friendly sources of livelihood, local communities can develop systems to be resilient to climate change, enhancing adaptability. 

Conclusion

The impact of climate change is a reality we must all learn to live with; therefore, adaptation strategies are as significant as mitigation strategies. The Government of Rwanda and its partners have made significant strides in climate change adaptation like establishing the Green Fund, planting trees, restoring degraded ecosystems, and developing the renewable energy sector, among others. However, more needs to be done to ensure that local communities, like those in the Bugesera district, adapt to climate change. Fundings and capacity development should be made available to non-governmental organizations (see, for example, GER-Rwanda), community-based organizations, and other stakeholders who have direct access to the local communities. Enhancing climate change adaptation requires a concerted effort from the Government, NGOs, development partners, and the local community; thus, irrespective of age, gender, or social and economic class, everybody has a role to play. You can start by: planting trees around your home, helping in letting others know about the adverse effects of climate change and how they can contribute, switching off electrical appliances when not using them to reduce your use of energy, avoiding food wastage by reducing consumption, getting your reusable water bottle or mug, avoiding, if possible, the use of single-use plastic, and financing climate change activities. Do not wait; start now!

References

Charles, H., & Javan, S. (2013). Managing and Coping with Drought in Bugesera Natural Region of Rwanda: Kavumu Village Rainwater Conservation Plan. East African Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 3(1). http://eajournal.unilak.ac.rw/Vol%203%20Issue1/Paper%208.pdf 

Government of Rwanda. (2020). Rwanda Announces Ambitious Climate Action Plan. https://www.environment.gov.rw/news-detail/rwanda-announces-ambitious-climate-action-plan#:~:text=The%20Government%20of%20Rwanda%20has,carbon%20dioxide%20equivalent%20(tCO2e).

Ministry in Charge of Emergency Management. (2020). Disaster Management. https://www.minema.gov.rw/disaster-management 

Ministry of Environment. (2021). Rwanda’s Adaptation Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Rwanda%20AdCom.pdf 

National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. (2012). EICV3 District Profile East - Bugesera. https://www.statistics.gov.rw/file/1683/download?token=plGYM00c 

Natural Resources Canada. (2015). CHAPTER 1: An Introduction to Climate Change Adaptation. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/changements-climatiques/impacts-adaptation/chapter-1-introduction-climate-change-adaptation/10081

Ngarukiyimana, J. P., Fu, Y., Sindikubwabo, C., Nkurunziza, I. F., Ogou, F. K., Vuguziga, F., Ogwang, B. A., & Yang, Y. (2021). Climate Change in Rwanda: The Observed Changes in Daily Maximum and Minimum Surface Air Temperatures during 1961–2014. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.619512

Nkurunziza, M. (2022, February 17). Disaster-induced death toll triples in less than a month. https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/disaster-induced-death-toll-triples-less-month

Reidy, C. (2020). Climate Change. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311301385_Climate_Change 

Rwanda Environment Management Authority. (2009). The Rwanda State of Environment and Outlook Report. |https://www.rema.gov.rw/soe/chap9.php#:~:text=Bugesera%20experienced%20severe%20droughts%20in,on%20their%20livelihoods%20and%20welfare. 

Republic of Rwanda. (2018). Rwanda Climate Change Portal: Facts About Climate Change in Rwanda. https://climateportal.rema.gov.rw/index.php?id=2. 

Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. (2019). Rwanda Environment and Climate Change Analysis– 2019-06-05. https://sidaenvironmenthelpdesk.se/digitalAssets/1748/1748556_environment-and-climate-change-analysis-rwanda-2019-06-05.pdf 

United Nations Development Programme. (2018). Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: UNDP Synthesis of Experiences and Recommendations. https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/publications/CCA-Africa-Final.pdf 

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2020). What Do Adaptation to Climate Change and Climate Resilience Mean? https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-do-adaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean