ACCESS4ALL Group

The case study “Restoring Hope Through Mangroves – A Story from the Philippines” highlights how coastal communities use mangrove restoration to protect themselves from storm surges, rising sea levels, and livelihood loss. While Rwanda is a landlocked country and does not face coastal hazards, there are several similarities and differences in the climate-related challenges and the solutions communities are implementing.

1. Natural Hazards and Climate Change in Rwanda

Unlike the Philippines, where typhoons, coastal flooding, and storm surges are major hazards, Rwanda’s most frequent climate-related hazards include:

• Heavy rainfall and flooding

• Landslides

• Droughts in some regions

• Wetland degradation and urban flooding

Climate change has intensified these hazards by increasing rainfall variability, causing more severe floods and landslides—especially in the Northern and Western Provinces.

2. Areas Facing the Greatest Impacts

Some of the most affected areas include:

• Musanze, Rubavu, and Nyabihu Districts (landslides and heavy rainfall)

• Kigali City (urban flooding, wetland degradation)

• Eastern Province (droughts and water scarcity)

These areas, like the coastal villages in the Philippines, struggle with environmental degradation that increases vulnerability.

3. Most Affected Communities and Why

The communities most affected are:

• Small-scale farmers on steep slopes: Soil erosion and landslides destroy crops and homes.

• Informal settlements in low-lying urban areas: Poor drainage exposes them to severe flooding.

• Rural family's dependent on rain-fed agriculture: They lack irrigation systems and are vulnerable to drought.

Similar to fisherfolk in the Philippines who depend on mangroves for fish and storm protection, Rwanda’s vulnerable groups depend heavily on ecosystem services, which decline under climate stress.

4. Local Methods Used to Cope and Adapt

Just as Philippine communities restored mangroves for protection and livelihood, Rwandan communities use several ecological and community-based methods:

• Terracing and agroforestry to stabilize slopes

• Wetland restoration projects such as Nyandungu Eco-Park

• Rainwater harvesting in drought-prone areas

• Tree planting and community forestry initiatives

• Strengthening early warning systems for disasters

These nature-based solutions are comparable to mangrove restoration because both focus on using ecosystems to strengthen resilience.

5. Government and Institutional Support

In Rwanda, multiple institutions support communities:

• The Government of Rwanda through MINEMA, REMA, RWB, and district authorities

• Local NGOs such as ARCOS Network, Rwanda Climate Change and Development Network

• International partners like UNEP, World Bank, and UNDP

Support includes:

• Funding for relocation from high-risk zones

• Disaster risk reduction programs

• Environmental rehabilitation and tree-planting

• Community training in climate-smart agriculture

• Infrastructure upgrades to reduce flooding

This is similar to how NGOs, local governments, and international support helped the Philippine communities recover and restore mangroves.

Conclusion

While Rwanda does not face coastal hazards like the Philippines, the two countries share important similarities: vulnerable communities rely heavily on natural ecosystems for protection and survival, and both are using nature-based solutions to adapt to climate change. The main difference is the type of hazards—coastal versus inland—but the core message is the same: restoring ecosystems restores hope and resilience.