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OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF THE SUSTAINABLE LAND USE MANAGEMANT PROJECT FROM 9TH-10TH OCTOBER/2008 AT RUBAVU DISTRICT The official launching took place in the Western Province, RUBAVU District from 9th to 10th October 2008. It was officially launched by the Hon. Minister of State in charge of Agriculture, Dr. Agnes KALIBATA
In her opening remarks,The Minister of State said: • Sustainable Land Management (SLM) is a project working from RADA.This project is sponsored by UNDP (Rwanda) with an intension of using Land efficiently without affecting its fertility. • It is very important for the Rwandans to wake up and use our efforts in solving the problem of soil erosion. She added that Rwanda loose about 15000 tones of top soil and this has been announced every year. • She also said, the main issue of sustainable land management is been sensitised to people time and again as we are supported by donor partners, Community services, “Agasozi Ndatwa” to recommit all possible efforts in protecting the land for the National future benefits. • This also leads to the increase on land for cultivation in a cal physical manner for a long term economic development, income generation, and many others. • It is our efforts that should be utilised properly, otherwise disaster will rise. • His project as it already has selected pilot sites, and then the next step should be; what should be done and where exactly? And it should be very visible. • She added, “Technicians should be used in something visible through building their capacity”. In giving her concluding remarks, the Minister of state in charge of Agriculture said, advised all the stake holders to work hard for the success of this project since it aimed at the development of country. All people concerned should work hard for the common goal in order to improve the Agriculture sector.
While addressing the congregation, the Director General of Rwanda Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Mr. HAKIZIMANA Patrice said, this Project will facilitate the identification of the good practice following ways;
Land management is applied in Rwanda and further, the project organizes and produces a series of modules of practical trainings based on reliable data collected from the demonstrated sites in collaboration with the local leaders in Districts, community participants of Ngororero, Nyabihu, Musanze, and Burera. The expected outcomes of this project is a lot and among others is the transformation of the rural area by reducing the loss of soil which is affecting the fertility of the country as a result of famine globally.
Meanwhile, the UNDP representative Mr. MUSEMAKWELI John thanked the residents for having accepted SLM project to work with them. He also thanked the initiators of this project for having thought of such an important idea. He went ahead to thank the donors who provided the funds to run this project and also encouraged them to keep it up. He requested the beneficiaries to always work hand in hand with this project by giving information and ideas to the project staff so that they can easily know their priorities, he added.
The SLM Projector Coordinator Mr. RURANGWA Raphael in his presentation welcomed and thanked the participants for having committed them selves to respond. He went ahead to give the meaning of SLM project and the expected outcomes. He added that the main objective of this project is to support the Districts with land problem such as Ngororero, Nyabihu, Musanze, and Burera. Building capacity for extension staff with the focus on land planning mainstreaming, Sustainable land Management (SLM) into National Development Strategies and Policies. Piloting activities on the ground to facilitate innovation through Demonstration with possible application of best practices in sustainable land use management and targeted applied research. The developed capacity for Sustainable Land Use Management in central and local government, government agencies (RADA), farmers, and sustainable land use management principles mainstreamed into national policies, plans and processes. In concluding his presentation Mr. RURANGWA Raphael requested all the stake holders to lend him a hand in running it. He added that the project has the best vision but can not be achieved without the stake holder’s support. He further promised to revise all what was missing in this project as sited by the participants during his presentation.
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