2021 Reports

Resettlement and Climate Change Adaptation in Rwanda: The Case of Rweru Model Green Village

Dale, Lisa Allyn

Rwanda’s rural resettlement policies connect economic growth, poverty reduction, climate change adaptation, and environmental protection objectives. Rweru Model Green Village in the Eastern Province embodies these mutually beneficial pillars of the Integrated Development Program. This pilot research sought to understand and evaluate the case of Rweru through qualitative social science methods, including semi-structured interviews with relocated households. Findings suggest that overall, Rweru has succeeded in relocating families away from high-risk locations, and the village offers a range of social protection and infrastructure advantages to residents. Persistent challenges include low agricultural productivity, inconsistent water availability, and difficulty securing and maintaining access to credit, land titles, and off-farm employment.