Assessing the challenges of wetlands management in Eastern Province. Case of Rwangingo Wetland, Katabagemu Sector

Abstract

This study was conducted on Rwangingo Wetland located in Eastern Province, Nyagatare District, Katabagemu Sector.Rwangingo wetlandcontributes to human well-being as it is used for agriculture activities while its management faces challenges due to potential gaps in policies related to wetland management. . The study assessed the challenges of Rwangingo wetland management specifically describing activities conducted in the wetland, analyzing the wetland management practices, challenges related to the management of Rwangingo Wetland, and proposing measures to enhance the effectiveness of Rwangingo Wetland . Primary Data were collected through interviews, field observations, and mapping. Google Earth images, were used to analyze the change of the wetland. These images were processed and analyzed using ArcGIS. Rwangingo Wetland was mainly developed for rice production, but the findings revealed the presence of other food crops including maize,soyabeen,potatoes,greenbeens, with the average yield estimated at 4.5 Tons/ha for maize. The findings show that the rehabilitation of Rwangingo wetland increased its area from 721ha to 780ha. Land cover also changed, with native vegetation like shrubland (23.7%) and cropland increased reaching 74.9%, while some areas were used for infrastructure development including road (1.2%) and water channels (0.2%). In the study area, wetland management practices underway include maintenance and rehabilitation of the road along the main water channels andfarmers’ organization facilitating seasonal meetings and joint monitoring/evaluation teams with stakeholders for sustainable agricultural practices. However, there are some challenges such as those related to irrigation design, conflicting wetland usages, institutional managerial issues, and recurrent flooding. Measures were set to enhance the effectiveness of Rwangingo Wetland including the protection of the buffer zone, promotion of stakeholder engagement and awareness, improvement of infrastructures and wetland management practices, and implementation of sustainable resource use management. By implementing measures that address the identified challenges, Rwangingo Wetland management will be further strengthened to ensure its conservation, increase value for the benefit of farmers.