Preparing to the implementation of TREPA (Transforming Eastern Province through Adaptation) project, a joint planning for site selection and refining collaboration framework (MoU) for TREPA Project convened on 20-22/12/2022 in Nyagatare District, Eastern Province of Rwanda to re-assess and validate the degradation map of the entire Eastern Province to be restored by TREPA Project.

The workshop brought together key Representatives from TREPA Implementing Partners: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) and Enabel, as key Implementing Entities and other service provider like the International Center for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), World Vision and Cordaid; and District staffs (District Forest Officer and the Director of Agriculture and Natural Resources) from 7 Eastern Province Districts of TREPA intervention.

Through exercise of re-assessing and exchanging on produced degradation map where all assessed degradation sites (excluding infrastructure) as categorized in moderate, high and very high (See degradation map) was agreed to be given priority by TREPA project and ensure their restoration. The exercise was consisted also of selecting degraded landscapes and sites of around 60,000 ha (as per TREPA project target) to be restored into climate resilient ecosystems through reforestation, agroforestry, restoration of pasturelands and soil erosion control measures in seven districts of the eastern province namely Kirehe, Kayonza, Gatsibo, Nyagatare, Rwamagana, Ngoma and Bugesera Districts.

As outcomes, the workshop come up with (1) an updated site selection-criteria, (2) 4 priority landscapes (500 ha or more per each) selected in each District (using degradation map) to be restored in the year 2023, (3) other 11 landscapes per District to be restored in the project years ahead (2024-2027), (4) 4 priority landscapes per District for silvopastoral intervention, (5) clear roadmap for ground truthing and mapping all selected and validated sites and landscapes to be restored by TREPA project and (6) a plan for drafting a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) to be signed between IUCN, RFA, Enabel and Districts.

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