Rwanda has achieved a 22.1% of the targeted 30% of the forest cover in the country, Liliose Umupfasoni, the Director of Forestry in the Ministry of Natural Resources(MINIRENA) has said.
This follows the government’s efforts to make forestry one of the key pillars of the national economy in order so as to support the development of agriculture, tourism, energy, food, environmental stability.
Umupfasoni was speaking to igihe.com in a separate interview after addressing participants the workshop that brought all stakeholders on National Forestry Policy Implementation organized by the Association Rwandaise des Ecologistes (ARECO-RWANDA NZIZA).
ERECO-Rwanda Nziza is a civil society organization that is currently conducting national campaign on tree planting.
“We have already achieved 22.1% forest cover in the country, and before the end of the year we will have planted another 1.3% to make it 23.4%,” Umupfasoni said in an interview.
“We have hopes that by the year 2020 we will have achieved our target of reaching 30% forest coverage on the national territory,” Umupfasoni added.
She further noted that her Ministry holds monthly meetings with the stakeholders to discuss on possible ways of reaching the target.
In addition Umupfasoni said that other groups including District Defense officers, Police, Forest officers, Agronomists and civil society organs have been set into all districts and headed by Vice Mayors in charge of Economic Affairs to make follow-ups on the conservation.
Dancilla Mukakamari, National Coordinator of ARECO-Rwanda Nziza told igihe.com that however much the step is appetizing; a lot of efforts are needed to reach the target.
The workshop aimed at discussing challenges facing forests and then find way forward for sustainability.
“We brought together stakeholders, law implementers, and researchers among others to share knowledge and find solution on forest sustainability,” Mukakamari said.
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