Rwanda’s conservation story is entering an exciting new chapter, one where gorillas are thriving, communities are building stronger livelihoods, and partners are coming together to demonstrate how conservation, resilience, and economic opportunity are all connected.
Rwanda’s conservation story is tied to the remarkable recovery of the mountain gorilla population in Volcanoes National Park. As Rwanda welcomes the world for the 21st Kwita Izina ceremony, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) celebrates Rwanda’s commitment to conservation.
AWF is the leading African international conservation organisation working to ensure a future where people and wildlife thrive together. Since 2018, AWF has been partnering with the Rwanda Development Board and local communities to develop a strategy for green growth across the Volcanoes landscape. The work is rooted in a simple belief: lasting conservation must work for people.
For more than two decades, Rwanda has shown the world what is possible when conservation is given the space, commitment and investment to succeed. Today that success is bringing new opportunities and new challenges. As the mountain gorilla population grows and pressure on land increases, AWF is helping Rwanda improve the lives of families around the park and invest in development while balancing the needs of the country’s most enduring conservation symbol, the mountain gorillas.
The change is already happening
Mountain gorillas are reclaiming restored habitat. Entrepreneurs are gaining the skills and financing to grow their businesses. Farmers are moving into climate-smart, higher-value production. It is all part of a strategic plan for green growth, the Volcanoes National Park Conservation and Development Master Plan, developed with the support of AWF.
Creating businesses, improving incomes.
The RWF 70 million Conservation-Compatible Enterprise Development Fund is financing small and growing businesses across the Volcanoes landscape, with a strong focus on women and young entrepreneurs. In addition, AWF and Inkomoko, a local business incubator, are sup-porting entrepreneurs with business planning, market access, investment-readiness training and coaching, giving good ideas the tools to grow.
Already, RWF 21.14 million has reached 32 businesses across agriculture, retail, and livestock sectors. These businesses are creating income, jobs, and new opportunities while building stronger local economies around the park.
The Volcanoes Community Association Horticulture Hub in Musanze is transforming crop farming. Three green-houses, a nursery and packaging facilities are bringing farmers into climate-smart, higher-value production, with tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers reaching higher-value markets.
The first harvest has already generated RWF 5.5 million, while creating jobs across farming, greenhouse production and packing. The effort is already paying back. Twenty percent of profits have been reinvested in com-munity development, linking growing incomes with stronger communities and conservation.
A new chapter for Rwanda’s conservation story
Habitat restoration, growing small businesses and creating new opportunities for farmers are just three examples of a bigger vision.
The Volcanoes National Park Conservation and Development Master Plan and the Conservation Investment Blueprint together bring together all the pieces, including conservation, agriculture, tourism, settlements and investment. The result is a clear roadmap for improving the lives of people while protecting the natural heritage that makes the Volcanoes landscape so special.
Rwanda is showing how conservation can be part of a country’s development story -- creating jobs, strengthening communities, protecting natural resources and opening new opportunities for investment. Now, AWF says it has an opportunity to take this further, bringing conservation, communities and investment together to build a landscape where both people and wildlife can thrive.
By 2030, AWF is aiming for 500 households benefiting from sustainable livelihoods, Rwf14,690,000,000 mobilised for conservation and community development, 30 per cent increase in average household income, and more opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs through access to finance, skills, markets and business support, more farmers building better livelihoods through climate-smart, higher value production.