The Eastern Province, due to its specific climate (characterized by frequent and prolonged rainfall deficits and droughts), high dependence on subsistence rain fed agriculture, lower forest cover, is among the country province with the largest challenge of degradation that need to be addressed.  This was disclosed during the official TREPA Technical Kick Off convened on 02, December 2022 at NTENDE Hotel in Gatsibo District.

TREPA (Transforming Eastern Province through Adaptation) project, a Green Climatic funded project, aims at restoring around 60,000 ha of drought degraded landscapes into climate resilient ecosystems through reforestation, agroforestry, restoration of pasturelands and soil erosion control measures in seven districts of the eastern province such as Rwamagana, Nyagatare, Kirehe, Kayonza, Gatsibo, Ngoma and Bugesera Districts.

The workshop was an occasion for TREPA project implementing partners such as MoE, IUCN, ENABEL, RAF, World Vision, ICRAF, Cordaid and Eastern Province and District Officials to share and discuss on TREPA project intended activities and deliberate on implementation plan, approaches and collaboration framework to use towards successful implementation of the project.  

In her welcome remarks, the Eastern Province Executive Secretary, Dr. Jeanne NYIRAHABIMANA shared with the workshop audience the EP particularity and need for restoration, noting that EP is among the granary of the country that sustain the life of the country population. “We are very proud to welcome to TREPA project and its team in the Eastern Province and given the current status of Eastern province’s land that need to be restored, our people are ready to work with the project in reversing land degradation and build climate resilient ecosystems” she said.

In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Patrick Karera recalls for concerted efforts and investment to support the Government willing to address development challenges owing to climate change through mobilization of investment and projects that impact on the community wellbeing and environment protection. He noted that EP is among the country parts that need more attention in regard to increasing drought, land degradation, poor soil productivity, increasing vulnerability to climate change and consequent poverty of its people, and that TREPA project is coming as a solution to these challenges that EP population in particular and Rwandans in general are requested to own and get benefit from it.
  
During the workshop, project team and District Officials discussed on the use of community approach in TREPA project implementation, like a good way of involving the community in the project implementation. Chief Of Party (COP) of TREPA project, Mr. HABIMANA Olivier noted that Community approach is highly recommended to be used in TREPA Project as it will ensure increased ownership of project activities and improved technical and financial capacity to them.

Already proposed TREPA project Hubs by Project Management Unit (PMU) such as Ngoma TREPA Hub, Gatsibo TREPA Hub, and Rwamagana TREPA Hub were officially validated with project beneficiaries and their urgent equipping and operationalization by all concerned TREPA project implementing entities and service providers was recommended by the workshop. 

Drafting a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed between implementing entities and Districts was urged by the workshop and District legal adviser was requested to be part of MoU drafting and validation.

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