* The project will contribute to the World Bank Group's core objective of creating more and better jobs to reduce poverty and unlock economic opportunities, especially for the youth

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America - Communities in Rwanda's Southern Province are set to benefit from restored ecosystems, improved agricultural productivity, and expanded sustainable livelihood opportunities in areas vulnerable to climate-related shocks. Thanks to a newly approved $9 million grant from the Global Environment Facility, Rwanda will receive support for integrated landscape restoration and climate-smart land management across the Nyungwe-Ruhango Corridor.

The Ecosystem-Based Restoration Approach for Nyungwe-Ruhango Corridor Project is one of 20 projects of the GEF-8 Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Program (ERIP) across the globe. ERIP scales up ecosystem restoration efforts by transforming degraded lands into thriving ecosystems and promotes private sector engagement and South-South exchange across the beneficiary countries. Conservation International is the ERIP lead agency.

"This project reflects the strong partnership between the World Bank and the Government of Rwanda in building climate resilience and driving inclusive green growth," said Sahr Kpundeh, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda. "It aligns with our Country Partnership Framework and global priorities on climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and empowering local communities to lead sustainable change."

The Rwanda GEF-8 will support the rehabilitation of 2,162 hectares of forests and wetlands, promote sustainable land management practices across 8,931 hectares of farmland, and help develop income-generating activities that reduce pressure on fragile ecosystems, directly benefiting more than 289,000 people in Ruhango, Nyanza, and Nyamagabe Districts.

The project will contribute to the World Bank Group's core objective of creating more and better jobs to reduce poverty and unlock economic opportunities, especially for the youth. Early estimates suggests that the project could generate over 2,200 jobs through sustainable livelihoods interventions. These include the development of non-timber forest product value chains, fruit tree planting, and support for small businesses in the green economy. The project will also engage the private sector to explore investment opportunities that promote climate-smart land use and sustainable forest management.

"This is a timely intervention that combines ecological restoration with community resilience," said Tuuli Bernardini, Senior Environmental Specialist at the World Bank. "By centering the role of women, youth, and local enterprises in landscape management, the project supports inclusive development and paves the way for scalable nature-based solutions."

Implemented by the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the project adopts a landscape-based approach to address environmental degradation, food insecurity, climate risks, such as floods and landslides; threats that disrupt infrastructure, destroy crops, and deepen poverty in the Southern province. At its core, the Rwanda GEF-8 aims to restore ecosystems that provide critical services such as erosion control, flood regulation and habitats for biodiversity. Key interventions will include afforestation, reforestation, riverbank and wetland rehabilitation and the promotion of agroforestry and other climate-smart agricultural practices.

The Rwanda GEF-8 forms part of a broader suite of World Bank-supported investments in conservation and sustainable land management along the Congo-Nile divide covering parts of the Northern, Western, and Southern Province. These include the Volcanoes Community Resilience Project and Commercialization and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project. Building on lessons from Rwanda's earlier efforts such as the Landscape Approach to Forest Restoration and Conservation (LAFREC), these initiatives align with the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), and are expected to deliver significant outcomes in biodiversity conservation, resilience building and improved community livelihoods.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.