Sustainable mountain development in East Africa in a changing climate

Hilltop village overlooking Lake Ruhondo, Rwanda

Lessons learned The challenges to sustainable mountain development can sometimes affect a whole country, as is the case in Rwanda. There is a therefore a need for national level response rather than mountain-specific approaches. The green growth and climate resilience strategy could focus more on the most vulnerable areas, but it concerns the country as a whole. Mountains provide indispensable services including water for irrigation

and hydropower energy and can contribute significantly to green growth. When mountain ecosystems are well managed, they contribute to climate change mitigation. Recommendations It is clear that Rwanda, as a low income and densely populated country, faces many challenges in achieving green growth and full climate change resilience. However, notable steps have been taken, ranging

from policy responses to the implementation of good practices on the ground. For a significant impact, more good practices should be promoted, such as investing more in watershed management to sustain agriculture in mountainous areas. In addition, given the rapid population growth and the high demand for agricultural land, agroecosystem practices should be adopted to simultaneously improve food security and enhance environmental conservation.

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