Monday, the 18th July 2011, at Umubano Hotel, the Ministry of Natural Resources hosts the International Workshop on Forest Landscape Restoration.The aim of this workshop is to outline a definitive process and means of implementation for the initiation and pilot phase of the Rwanda Forest Landscape Initiative as a direct complement and contribution to ongoing erosion prevention and landscape restoration activities already underway.
During the opening remarks, the Minister of Natural Resources(MINIRENA), Hon. Stanislas Kamanzi told the participants that the initiative to restore forests ecosystems must go hand in hand with the improvement of social economic of population through sustainable use of natural resources and sustainable management of ecosystems.
He noted that Forests landscape degradation should be controlled and relevant measures to the management of environment to be intensified in order to ensure soil conservation and erosion control.
“Agroforestry is another important component for forests landscape restoration “Stanislas Kamanzi added.
Throughout presentations, different participants highlighted that, human activities such as agriculture and livestocks are contributing so much in forests landscape degradation.
Addressing the conference, Dr MBONIGABO Jacques from the Ministry of Agriculture said that there is a need to ensure food security for a growing population in the coming decades, while at the same time conserving the environment.
Additionally, Dennis Philip Garrity, the Director General of World Agro forestry Centre said that there is a need to restore Rwanda’s forests landscape through evergreen Agriculture by incorporating trees into farming systems-a practice known as agroforestry.
“The trees usually offer many benefits to the farmer and the environment, including providing green fertiliser to build healthier soils and enhance crop production” Dennis said.
“They also provide shelter, control erosion, increase biodiversity and offer greater resilience to climate change while storing carbon” He added.
Dr Rose Mukankomeje, the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority highlighted that environment restoration must be taken into consideration in order to address issues related to land degradation, deforestation, decline of wetlands and human resettlements.
During the interview with journalists, Hon. Stanislas Kamanzi revealed that the Government of Rwanda is actively committed to addressing challenges of landscape restoration and ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources for the growth of socio-economic livelihoods of population through appropriate restoration of ecosystems function of our degraded lands.
The Workshop on Rwanda Forest Landscape Restoration brought together a wide range of Government and non-government institutions, both national and international. It was organised by MINIRENA in collaboration with the International Union of the Conservation of Nature, IUCN, Le Bureau Regional de la Confederation Suisse and The United Nations Forum for Forests, UNFF.
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