Rwanda

The thrust of this project is capacity building for sustainable management of environmental and natural resources, using decentralization as a developmental tool. It does so by supporting capacity development of the Ministry of lands, Environment, Forestry, Water and Natural Resources (MINITERE) to implement environment policies and anable it to support the devolution of power for environmental management to the districts. It will also support the integration of environment and natural resources issues into district development planning and budgeting.
To reinforce this, information, education and training support will be provided to the Provinces, District Councils the Community Development Committees (CDCs), and other elected leaders and officials in the district to enable them favourably influence the attitudes and behaviours of the population towards the management of environmental and natural resources.
As means of easing the population pressure on the environment, additional support is provided to implement priority areas identified in the District Development plans through the promotion of innovative environmental practoces at the community level. To this fact, the project will streangthen the Districts and CDCs by building their capacity to identify, develop and implement viable environment practices as well as to mobilize and manage resources for three initiatives.

Policies, regulations, guidelines and standards for environment protection developed and implemented at central and decentralized levels.
Capacity for coordination of REMA and MINITERE in environment management and ecosystem conservation strengthened.
Institutional capacity of REMA, MINITERE and local Governments to monitor the quality of natural environment strengthened.
Capacity of communities and local Government for ecosystem and land conservation and rehabilitation strengthened.