Rwanda plans to put aside part of its land for forestry in vision 2020
With the value attributed to trees and forestry in Rwanda either for cooking, timber, construction and in making different tools, or conserving the environment, protecting erosion, providing cool breathing air, people are being called upon to increase the area with forestry.
According to Angela Mukaminani the vice mayor for finance and economic development in Nyabihu district, there still areas that need to be planted with trees especially on mountains.
The ministry of Natural resources through its reforestation support program (PAREF in its French acronym) through Gishwati Project, in Nyabihu district, the government land was planted with trees and the remaining bare land is for individuals that need to grow forests.
Nyabihu district is usually affected by soil erosion and Natural disasters especially on bare and steep mountains. This is the same reason why all residents of Nyabihu district are being called upon to participate in growing, conserving and valuing forests to prevent such catastrophes and attain development.
The vice mayor said that the 1st phase of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) that ended in 2012 expected 23.5% of Rwandan soil to be grown with trees that is to say 616300 hectares of land.
The 2nd phase of EDPRS expects 30% of Rwandan land that is 790140 hectares to be planted with forests by 2020.
With forests being the economic source for both the country and its people in finances, health, environment, every person is supposed to protect and value trees by increasing the area they are grown in.
For residents of Nyabihu district in particular with the support of their leaders, they are called upon to grow more trees especially those that can be mixed with crops so as to participate and ensure achieving the government’s vision of 2020.
