{"id":85790,"date":"2024-09-30T10:22:18","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T10:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa"},"modified":"2024-09-30T10:49:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T10:49:14","slug":"rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa","title":{"rendered":"Rwanda to restore 1,000 wetlands as report highlights water crisis in Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>The government has committed to conserving nearly 1,000 wetlands, including the restoration of those severely degraded by human activities.<\/p>\n

This initiative aims to ensure a stable water supply for various needs across the country.<\/p>\n

The commitment comes in the wake of the State of Africa’s Environment 2024 report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which warns that poor water resource management is intensifying the water crisis across Africa\u2019s urban and rural areas.<\/p>\n

Faustin Munyazikwiye, Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), spoke to The New Times about the causes of water crises, pointing specifically to wetland degradation.<\/p>\n

“In 2001\/2002, Rwanda faced an electricity shortage, leading to a surge in the use of diesel generators. The primary hydropower plant had diminished capacity, and we discovered that the root cause was the destruction of the Rugezi wetland, which supplied water to that hydropower plant,” Munyazikwiye explained.<\/p>\n

The degradation of the Rugezi wetland not only disrupted clean water supplies but also impacted hydropower generation. Water from the Rugezi wetland feeds the Ntaruka and Mukungwa hydropower plants via Lakes Burera and Ruhondo, as well as the Mukungwa River.<\/p>\n

By 2004, water levels in these lakes had fallen by 50%, forcing the country to spend over $65,000 per day on diesel fuel to compensate for the electricity shortfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a significant setback to our renewable energy targets,\u201d Munyazikwiye said, stressing the importance of restoring the wetland to address the crisis.<\/p>\n

In response, the government took decisive action. The Rugezi wetland was designated a Ramsar site in 2005, becoming a fully protected area. From 2006 to 2010, the government rehabilitated the wetland, including demarcating buffer zones and watersheds to protect its ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Wetlands, as Munyazikwiye noted, are crucial for filtering water.<\/p>\n

Conserving 1,000 Wetlands<\/b><\/p>\n

Munyazikwiye revealed that a recent survey identified over 940 wetlands nationwide that require conservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese wetlands help prevent flooding, filter water, and store it for various uses. We need to maintain buffer zones of at least 20 metres around wetlands to prevent encroachment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

According to the Wetlands Biodiversity and Ecological Integrity Assessment, a 2020 survey by the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS Network), more than 40% of Rwanda\u2019s wetlands have lost their pristine quality due to poor management. The survey also showed that 10.6% of the country\u2019s wetlands are located in Kigali City.<\/p>\n

The government has pledged to rehabilitate five key wetlands in Kigali within 18 months. These efforts are expected to benefit 220,500 people directly and indirectly by mitigating the risks of flooding and water shortages.<\/p>\n

The wetlands targeted for rehabilitation include Rwampara, Gikondo, Nyabugogo, Kibumba, and the Rugenge-Rwintare Wetland System. These wetlands feed into the Nyabugogo River, which eventually flows into the Nyabarongo River and the Nile.<\/p>\n

Impact of Africa\u2019s Water Crisis<\/b><\/p>\n

Munyazikwiye warned that failure to conserve wetlands could worsen water scarcity and increase flooding risks. According to the State of Africa’s Environment 2024 report, death rates due to unsafe water sources in Africa are alarmingly high\u201450 deaths per 100,000 people, which is 1,000 times higher than in developed countries.<\/p>\n

The report further predicts that by 2050, 36% of the world’s cities will face a water crisis. It emphasises that poor urban water security threatens the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, African cities must adopt water-sensitive urban planning and governance strategies, the report advises.<\/p>\n

Water consumption in urban areas is forecasted to rise by 80% by 2050, further straining resources.<\/p>\n

Africa currently has the lowest levels of access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services worldwide. This contributes to the region’s significant water insecurity, with 31% (over 411 million people) across 54 African countries lacking access to basic drinking water services.<\/p>\n

Despite Africa accounting for 9% of the global freshwater resources, its growing urban population and increasing water demand pose significant challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe urban population of Rwanda is rapidly increasing, and socio-economic conditions are improving. As a result, the demand for water to meet municipal needs is rising. Human activities and high-water demand are putting pressure on our water resources,\u201d the report concludes.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Rwanda Follow Africa-Press<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. The government has committed to conserving nearly 1,000 wetlands, including the restoration of those severely degraded by human activities. This initiative aims to ensure a stable water supply for various needs across the country. The commitment comes in the wake of the State of Africa’s Environment 2024 report by the Centre for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":85789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,30],"tags":[3586,4822,4446,5570,758,1121,6580],"class_list":["post-85790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-conservation","tag-flooding","tag-restoration","tag-rugezi-wetland","tag-rwanda","tag-water-crisis","tag-wetlands-degradation"],"yoast_head":"\nRwanda to restore 1,000 wetlands as report highlights water crisis in Africa - Rwanda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The government has committed to conserving nearly 1,000 wetlands, including the restoration of those severely degraded b ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rwanda to restore 1,000 wetlands as report highlights water crisis in Africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The government has committed to conserving nearly 1,000 wetlands, including the restoration of those severely degraded b ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rwanda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-30T10:22:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-30T10:49:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2024\/09\/sm_1727680728.889893.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"662\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Rwanda to restore 1,000 wetlands as report highlights water crisis in Africa\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-30T10:22:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-30T10:49:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa\"},\"wordCount\":687,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2024\/09\/sm_1727680728.889893.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"conservation\",\"flooding\",\"Restoration\",\"Rugezi wetland\",\"Rwanda\",\"water crisis\",\"wetlands degradation\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"Community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/rwanda-to-restore-1000-wetlands-as-report-highlights-water-crisis-in-africa\",\"name\":\"Rwanda to restore 1,000 wetlands as report highlights water crisis in Africa - 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