The project is also improving food security for over 120,000 households living in high-risk areas. Over 100,000 rural households will access Improved Cooking Stoves, while over 260,000 people are directly benefiting from enhanced financial inclusion and access for climate-resilient investments.

Mr. Olivier HABIMANA, the Chief of Party of the TREPA project, noted that “the objective of TREPA is to achieve a paradigm shift in land management practices in Rwanda’s Eastern Province from landscapes that are degraded, fragile, and unable to sustain livelihoods in the face of climate change to restored ecosystems and landscapes through building community resilience to enhance livelihoods, food, and water security of the most vulnerable rural population.”

He addressed that TREPA has so far trained 200 cooperative members on improved honey production and value-adding through wax-based products and fostered interactions between the cooperatives and private companies through business round tables and trade honey-based products for Bee value chain development.

Mr. Habimana said, “We established both 25,000 bee-forage trees of diverse species on at least 200 hectares and 10 honey and wax storage stations and associated storage facilities, and introduced 10 beehives for a significant number of beekeeping cooperatives.”

He concluded adding that “Farmers’ groups have been strengthened to adopt climate-resilient land use practices with access to market and finances and enhanced climate resilience of agricultural value chains and commodities.”

Dr. Dietman Stoian, Lead Scientist, Value Chains, Private Sector Engagement, and Investments for CIFOR-ICRAF, highlighted that agroforestry packages are scaled up on rain-fed for improved soil and water management, adding that collaboration with TREPA is critical to any successful restoration process and must be continually fostered.

“Regreening Rwanda’s partnership-based approach holds important lessons for large-scale, country land restoration initiatives,” he said.

“Landscape restoration must be people-driven, guided by evidence, and supported by incentives to ensure its long-term success, on how restoration starts with soil health, and how it can help communities adapt to climate change”, Dr. Dietman added.

He also revealed that there are patterns of trees on farms that helped farmers in the management of natural regeneration of timber, fruit, and fuel species as well as those contributing to environmental services.

According to JMV BIZIMANA, Managing Director of Beekeeper’s Gift Ltd, a company that supplies modern beekeeping equipment countrywide, “in honey value chain development, identification of existing gaps in the value chain and narrowing them down can have a profound impact in terms of increasing income for rural communities and conserving biodiversity.”

He emphasized that resident communities should be involved as partners or stakeholders to enable them to safeguard the environment and ensure that it remains conducive for honey production.

“They could also provide security for the apiary that includes hives and occupier bees from predators. An apiary should be located in an area with a variety of flora, which should last all year round,” he said.

“In order to build the community’s capacity in honey production, chain supporters shall be required. They include: artisan hive makers, money-lenders, and microfinance institutions. Technicians should be deployed for professional beehive management as well as quality control, processing, and packaging,” he added.