International Development Grant

Learning Environmental Adaptations for Food Security

Project Number: CA-3-S065766001

Status: Closed

Country/Region:

Rwanda 100.00%

Maximum Contribution: $2,242,624.00

Start Date: December 20, 2012

End Date: May 31, 2014

Duration: 1.4 years

Project Description

This project aims to increase food security among women men girls and boys most vulnerable to climate change in the refugee/returnee areas of Gatsibo and Kayonza Districts in Rwanda . It seeks to improve household nutrition and income generation through climate change adaptation initiatives targeting 36 480 people in households. The project seeks to address the challenges related to climate change such as prolonged droughts unpredictable seasons increased storms and unpredictable rains. Small farm holders often have little or no arable land or water for irrigation. Deforestation has contributed to increased soil erosion soil exhaustion and adversely affected water sources. All of these factors negatively affect crop production and household incomes limiting people's ability to produce or purchase food. .

Expected Results

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) More equal access to vegetables and fruits for consumption and in-come-generation for women and men girls and boys most vulnerable to climate change in the refugee/returnee areas of Gatsibo and Kayonza Districts; (2) Increased use of environmentally sustainable adaptation mechanisms to reduce the negative impacts of climate change among the most climate vulnerable women men girls and boys in the refugee/returnee areas of Gatsibo and Kayonza Districts; and (3) Increased representation of women in decision making positions at the cooperative level in the refugee/returnee areas of Gatsibo and Kayonza Districts.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2014) include: 6 080 people (3 587 women) who are members of one of the 136 participating cooperative were trained in efficient sustainable and adapted agriculture techniques in environmental protection protective agroforestry and in nutrition. 1 386 women who are cooperative members also received training in cooperative management. As a result 95% of participating households have adopted at least one environmentally sustainable adaptation initiative such as gardening with water conservation techniques compared to 47% at the beginning of the project. 62.7% of households have harvested vegetables from their own gardens for 10 months of the year compared to 0-3 months before the project. The nutrition-related illnesses among households headed by women decreased from 20% at the beginning of the project to 12.5% by the end of it. While at the beginning of the project women were only somewhat confident that they had an equal voice and vote in decisions related to cooperative management at the end of the project 99% of them were highly confident that their opinions were considered and that their voice and vote are equal to that of men in cooperative decision making. These results have contributed to help the communities in the project targeted areas to improve their adaptation to climate change and have increased access to good quality food for vulnerable people especially women who live in these communities.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
ADRA - Adventist Development and Relief Agency Canada

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Basic nutrition 6.5%
Agricultural development 11.46%
Agricultural land resources 8.76%
Agricultural inputs 10.46%
Food crop production 21.06%
Plant and post-harvest protection and pest control 13.26%
Forestry development 28.5%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 1 Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting)
Level 1 Participatory development and good governance
Level 1 Trade development
Level 1 Biodiversity
Level 1 Climate change mitigation
Level 2 Climate Change Adaptation
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2012-04-01 to 2013-03-31 $2,242,624 CAD
Geographic Information
242
Reference ID: 624