Vulnerability of the hydro-electric power plants to the impacts of climate change in Rwanda: Community baseline

Abstract

The on-going decline in water levels in the rivers powering Rwanda's Hydro-power stations has confirmed the vulnerability of the energy sector to the impacts of climate change in Rwanda – a small country in Central Africa. At the community level, the field level intervention being implemented aims at improving management of the watersheds supporting the power stations and would eventually contribute to supporting the communities in poverty alleviation. A community vulnerability baseline survey was conducted aimed at providing a basis upon which to monitor and evaluate the success of mitigation measures being implemented. The watershed area around Mukungwa and Ntaruka hydropower stations was used as a case study. The survey confirmed that communities in the watershed area are poverty stricken mainly because of limited means of production and due to shortage of land that has resulted to poor land management and therefore getting very little yields. The survey also revealed heavy dependency on fuel wood and kerosene for energy and this entail continuous cutting of trees and thus degrading the environment. The mitigation measures being implemented include supporting the communities in the watershed area in better land management techniques specifically training the communities in better soil erosion control practices and tree planting.

Keywords: Rwanda, Community vulnerability, Energy sector, Mukungwa, Ntaruka.

Journal of Environmental Extension Vol. 6 2007: pp. 51-56