In a major boost to Rwanda’s climate resilience and ecosystem restoration efforts, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved an $18 million grant for a new project that will scale up activities under the Green Amayaga Program. The funding will support ecosystem restoration and community resilience building in six districts of Rwanda’s Southern Province, namely Kamonyi, Muhanga, Nyanza, Ruhango, Huye, and Gisagara.

The newly endorsed project, to be implemented through a programmatic approach, builds on the success of the ongoing Green Amayaga Project. It aims to strengthen nature-based solutions, promote integrated natural resource management, and enhance livelihoods through ecosystem-based adaptation.

This latest endorsement comes just days after the GEF approved another $9 million grant to support restoration of Nyungwe–Ruhango Corridor, bringing total recent GEF support to Rwanda to $27 million.

The Government of Rwanda has mobilised these resources to extend the impact of the Green Amayaga Project across all districts of the Southern Province. To date, the project has been operating in selected areas of Kamonyi, Nyanza, Ruhango, and Gisagara, where it has made impressive strides in restoring degraded ecosystems and enhancing community resilience to climate change.

“Rwanda is committed to restoring its environment and strengthening the resilience of its people through inclusive, science-based, and locally driven solutions,” said Juliet Kabera, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA).

“Thanks to the unwavering support from the GEF, we can now scale up Green Amayaga across the entire Southern Province. This marks a critical step forward in our national efforts to build a climate-resilient, green economy. We are also deeply grateful to UNDP for their technical guidance and partnership in the development of this new project,” Kabera added.

The Green Amayaga initiative has delivered impactful results in its current areas of implementation:

• Restored landscapes: More than 929 hectares of woodlots have been planted, and the buffer zone of the Kibirizi–Muyira natural forest has been rehabilitated.
   
• Agroforestry and erosion control: More than 243,000 fruit trees have been planted, and erosion control measures have been implemented on 13,886 hectares using agroforestry trees, terracing, and reeds.
   
• Riverbank and roadside protection: 93 kilometers of riverbanks have been protected and 763 hectares of roadside tree planting carried out to prevent soil erosion and improve road safety.
   
• Cleaner cooking solutions: 21,000 families have received improved cookstoves, helping reduce deforestation and combat indoor air pollution.
   
• Livelihood improvement: 2,534 vulnerable households have received livestock (cows, goats, and pigs), contributing to food security and income generation.
   

These achievements demonstrate the power of integrated environmental restoration and livelihood development. Scaling up these efforts will ensure that more communities benefit from improved ecosystems, increased climate resilience, and green economic opportunities.

The project is aligned with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation, Vision 2050, and the country's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), contributing directly to its climate action and sustainable development goals.

Learn more about Green Amayaga here.