AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 1. T ..TSACTION CODE DOCUMENT PROJECT IDENTIICATION DOCUMENT FACESHEET (PID) AR-A-; Revision No. CODE C - Dh g:c . I COUNTRYENTIT3 PROJECT NU'MBE

. BUREAV!OFFICE "5.PROJECT TILE 'mcx.,,m 40 charac) A. Symbol B. Code *AFR [:6961 E: RURA LV? S , STI,.ATED FY OF AU-rOIZATION/OBLIGATION/COMPLETION 7.ESThiATED COSTS ($O00 OR EQUIVALENT., "

A-8 IF FL-\DDG SOURCE j FE OF PROJECT

2 C. FACD [U.S.C.Hos Country 4W D. Other Donor(s) _ _ -_ -- _ TOTAL Ot _ _ 8. PROPOSED BUDGET AID FUNDS ($000) 7_A .A A B. PRI, ARY C.PRIMARY RA.TION IPRO-PURPOSE TECFL CODE D. IST FY E LIFE OF CODE . Grant 2. Lon PROJECT I. Grnt 2. Lon I 1.Grant 2. Loan Il :2, ,s, ' I . 5 I ______... ;-. r10 Sd ______!. 80 _ _ _ _ _ -;11 TOTA LS G ­ SECONDARY 3M84 0 TEC1HNICAL CODES (maximum 6 codes of 3positions each) I U. SECO.NDARY PURPOSE CODE -1 0 1 ( ,I _nAI ()A74c I 24A4 1 1.SPECLkJ_ CONCERNS CODES (maximum 7 codes of 4 pw.itions each) A. Code j RW I PART LAB

FROJECT PURPOSE (maximum 480charac ers) .o iimprove-e e phy£-al in -- - 3 communes by improvin I" .. " -- * i -- ca in ---- u .. .o-vingl 37 iIl water suppligs, (roads and trosion CotoQ ctivities, evelop--the and to "' instituional ap .-.-. I y of the communes to identify, plan and implement these activities.

:5. RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT suf: Design Officer (REDSO/EA) Forester/Soil Conservationist (AID/W) Engineer (REDSO/EA) Agronomist (PSC) Public Administrat Economist (PSC) /Social Scientist (PSC) Funds Environ.mentalis t. (PSC" & RED$O/El PDS - $30,00 . A ..- . . ,

____B_ AAic I Ji 14. Signaure-% ORIGINATING 7 115. DATE D)OCUMENT RECEIVE IN' AIDW, 0 . FOR AID/W DOCU. OFFICEDate Sid CLEARA'CE MENTS, DATE OF DISTRIBUTION AID Affairs Officer, Rwanda MM DD ' 1 ~10 11j318 11 jlMM I DDI IlYY 16. PROJECT DOCUMENT ACTION TAKEN 17. COSMENTS S = Suspended CA - Conditionally Approved A = Approved DD - Decision Deferred D = Disapproscd .. TION - 19. ACTION REFERZNCE 20. ACTION DATE ______•Tt.OVlD ___TDD ______~1 ,V. YY PROJECT IDENTIFICATION DOCUM- T

RWANDA RURAL WORKS PROJECT 696-011:

TABLE OF CONTEhTS Executive Summary 'Pe Map #1 - Map of Rwanda, situating Ruhengeri Prefecture, site of Rural Works Project

Map #2 - Map of Ruhengeri Prefecture, situating Communes of Cyeru, Nyamugali and Butaro, primary sites for Rural Works Project; and Nyarutovu and Ruhondo Communes, secondary sites I. Background to the Proposed Program 1 A. Rwanda's Development Priorities 1

B. AID Strategy 2 II. Project Description 2 A. Rural Structures to Be Installed 2

B. .Dcal Government Development and People Participation 8 III. Other Donor Assistance 12

IV. Project Implementation 14 V. Destgn Stategy for Project Paper 15 VI. Estimated Project Costs 16 VIl. Initial Environmental Examination 17 ,Annex 1 22 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PROJECT IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT RWANDA RURAL WORKS

This project constitutes a new initiative for AID in Rwanda. The project will finance essential rural works in three to five in communes the northern sector of the country. (a commune is the basic government level of which has fiscal and administrative authorities. A rural "township" in the U.S. in the nearest comparison that can be made.) The rural works aspect of the project will focus on installation of gravity ­ fed rural water distribution systems, communal reforestation/soil conservation measures, and maintenance of rural access roads.

A second important purpose of the project is to strengthen capabilities the of the commune governments to participate in their own development. In Rwanda, because the rural population contributes significantly to development projects of this type, both taxes through their and through contributed labor ('.muganda), they are a party decision to the to do the projects. The local decision-making process remains haphazard, however. The project will work with the 3-5 communes, as communes, pilot to test and improve their capacity to submit project ideas to their leaders, to discuss and determine for themselves their ability to carry out these projects, to confront the problems of recurring repair and maintenance, and finally to implement the projects. By the .end of the project, 28 new water systems should be in place, 1,000 hectares of forest land planted, 200 hectares terraced, 600 hectares planted in forage grasses or leguminous shrubs and 50 agricultural and social workers trained,communal planning and decision-making process should be improved, with communes involved in each stop of the decision­ making process. Projec inputs consist of long-term technical assistance in conservation soil and r;forestation (3 years), rural development administration (3 years) and • administrative support (3 years), and 10 months of short­ term consultancies in such areas as agronomy, public administration, engineering, sociology, etc. Training of local officials in.management and planning, and of field level assistancts in soil conservation, reforestation, etc. will be financed, five vehicles will be purchased. The bulk of project funding will be for the rural works ­ water ($690,000), syste s reforestation/soil conservation ($470,000), rural roads ($400,000) and other rural works ($200,000).

The project is estimated to cost a total of U.S.$7,340,r00 the A.I.D. contribuion of which will be U.S.$3,840,000, the Government of Rwanda (GOR) contribution will be U.S.$1,300,000, and other donors will contribute the equivalent of approximately U.S.$2,240,000. AAO/Rwanda recommends to a grant the GOR from the Agriculture, Rural Development and Nutrition $2,660,000 account of and from the Health account of $1,180,000 to finance A.I.D's contribution to the project. Map., of Rwanda situating"- Ruhengeri Prefecture, site G A N D Ai of Rural Works. :o~eqct. ­

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Mar of Ruhengeri Prefecture, situating Communes of Cyeru, Nyamugali and Butaro, ?rimary sites for Rural Works Project; and Nyarutovu and Ruhondo Comunes , " secondary sites.Y

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...... r "%,1,,. ­ i n . . . PROJECT IDENTIFICATION DOCUMEhT

RWANDA RURAL WORKS PROJECT

696-0117

Background to the Proposed Program

The Rwanda Rural Works Project has two objectives: (1) Provide basic rural infrastructure to support production and improve the quality of rural life. The Project will address these needs in three and possibly five Communes through a program of forest plantation and soil conservation, potable water supply, and rural access roads. (2) Increase the capacity of local governments to determine and carry out their own development.

A. Rwanda's Development Priorities. The focus of Rwanda's Second Five-Year Plan (1977-81) is on rural development, in contrast to the First Plan, which concen­ trated on overall economic independence and education. The effects of a burgeon­ ing population and limited cultivatable land have illustrated the vulnerability of the rural sector. In the Third Five-Year Plan, now being finalized, the emphasis on rural development will be continued and strengthened.

The GOR has taken positive steps in an effort to increase agricultural production and to increase the standard of living of the riral population. These include the delegation of_certain rural development planning and financial authori­ ties to local administrativ-e units, a universal system of primry--edutot n and concentrationon a rural and agriculture-oriented curriculum, and channeling increased national budgetary resources and donor financing to the rural sector.

The GOR regards the commune as the primary unit of development (cellule de base de developpement) and, as such,, it is the preferred channel for the necessary decentralization of decid respties called for by the Plan. The PlaZzankly admits tha the commune's interesin a project's goals and its (ability3to implement thm are key to the succes f-any-irii-l--development activity. Th;u 7t calls for the rein-frcemen of the autonomy and structures of the communes and an increase in their resources as an important solution to the difficult living conditions in the r {al areas.

Within its general concern for rural development, the GOR places particular emphasis on rural water, reforestation, and rural roads. Reflecting this empha­ sis, in 1980 a special campaign was begun to stimulate reforestation. The GOR has now established 1981 as the year in which special emphasis is to be placed on development of potable water in rural areas. The intent of the GOR goes beyond special emphasis in any one year. During the year of special emphasis.^goals are.­ established for longer periods, and officials at all levels/fznsitized to the importance of meeting these goals. This has clearly happened in the cases of reforestation where officials at all levels are able to speak knowledgeably about the goals. Most importantly, the initial goals are generally being met. We are confident that the same process that was begun in reforestation will also be repeated in the water program without either effort diluting the concern with the other. Rural roads have for some time been a matter of priority concern within both the national and the local commune government. Reflecting this pri­ ority, considerable resources have been devoted to improving rural roads. To a degree, this has been done, although the lack of appropriate technical expertise (as noted elsewhere in the paper) has limited the success obtained. 3

Any attempt at rectifying the situation must be multidisciplinary and inte­ grated into the national development effort. Therefore, this rural works project will attempt to address certain of the basic needs of the population while work­ ing with the Government in instituting a structure for the stabilization and sustained use of the natural resource base.

The project, reaching a significant number of the rural poor in a specific geographic region, will set the stage for improvement of the natural resource base, encouragement of intensification of land use on agricultural land, and ixprovement of the availability of wood and forest products. Increased refores­ tation of the upper-regions, coupled with erosion control measures in the agricul­ turally classified lands, will provide a number of other benefits of much greater value in protecting watershed areas.

The forest resources of Rwanda cover some 170,000 hectares, roughly 6 percent of the total area. They consist of the Nyungwe reserve (90,000 ha), the Gishwati reserve (6,000 ha), state plantations (6,000 ha), communal woodlots (20,000 ha), roadside plantings (2,000 ha), and individual woodlots (20,000 ha).

Wood, and its derivative charcoal, is the principal source of energy in Rwanda and is used for cooking, heating, and construction. It is also the primary energy source for a number of local industries. Present consumption far exceeds planta­ tion efforts. With the increasing population pressures and inadequate protection capacities by the Government, the deforestatin and inappropriate use of land are bound to increase.

Also, assuming a per capita usage of two steres of wood per year, the present consumption of 9-.6 million steres is estimated to increase with the population to 15 million steres of wood by the year 2000. This would necessitate the planting of some 700,000 hectares of new plantations. Projected efforts cannot hope to meet but a fraction of the demand in that time period.

This component of the project is part of a long-term donor and Governiment program to lend assistance, both financial and technical, to the lowest level of administration wherea3t will be most able to benefit the rural population.

The methodology will include a process of joint decision-making by the commune members and the Government in the development of a participatory tree planting program and erosion control program, based on the felt and projected needs of' the commune. Within the methodology, trees or other appropriate plants would be planted for one or a combination of the following purposes: woodlots (fuel and service wood), forage, windbreaks, living fences, erosion control barriers, so.4i ameliora­ tion or watershed protection. The plantings will be-coordinated with the construc­ tion of physical structures to stabilize the slopes and reduce erosion.

The interrelatedness of the problems facing the people necessitates the utili­ zation of appropriate fast-growing and multipurpose plant materials which will address the erosion problems while providing for the wood and forage needs of the community.

Some of the tree species recommended to be planted within the project include Leucaena leucocephala, Pithecellobium dulce, and, for forage, Callitris sp. for 4 service wood and Eucalyptus grandis, E. saligna, E. maideni, E. camaldulensis, and Cassia siamea or.Acacia malclozyn for firewood and poles. Fruit trees such as guava and avocado will also be produced. Other species will be tested or. tried in close collaboration with the ISAR silva­ cultural unit. Grevillea robusta, Podocarpud sp., Callistris sp. are slower gro;ing, more.valuable species which will be planted as indicated by the communes. Final species selections will be made after discussions with the ultimate planters and beneficiaries of the plantings.

*f a The use of Eucalyptus species has been widely questioned in regard to its effects on the soil, its competition with other plants and its production in parts of Rwanda as virtually a monoculture. Efforts will be made to incorporate other species, both indigenous and exotic, but total exclusion of the well-known and preferred tree (due to its fast growth) would be ill-advised,

Seeds for the project will be requested through the National Seed Center at Ruhande near Butare. This will encourage closer collaboration with Rwanda's scientific community and the increased use of the new center will enhance its stature and presumably its financial position.

Grasses will also be produced, such as Setaria splendida and Pennisitum sp., in conjunction with present erosion control efforts of the GOR.

Farmers can grow their own timber, fuel and fodder trees along field borders, roads, gulleys and on marginal or forest-appointed land (slopes greater than 45 degrees) where cultivation cannot be practiced. In addition, commune lands can supply land which is state owned, but at the disposition of the communes. There is a prima facie-need to educate the farmer or peasant on the beneficial role of. forestry and its intimate complementary relationship with agriculture.

The project will use existing centers for training, demonstration, and propagation of various plant materials, and will facilitate the use of these materials by interested inhabitants and groups.

It will bloaden the base of national technical expertise by training techni­ cians and extension agents (moniteurs forestiere), and will encourage the accep­ tance of appropriate technologies by the local population through presentations (consciousness raising) and training for local authorities, team leaders (farmer innovators), and the people themselves. It will encourage local yarticipation and self-reliance through existing structures and give support to community mem­ bers in developing skills and resources which will allow them to be more effective in managing the resources on which.they depend.

The project will require one expatriate soil conservationist with past experience in siailar projects. In addition, a rural sociologist or development anthropologist will be necessary on a periodic, short-term basis, as a most important aspect of the project is to educate the peasants to the nature of the problem and to teach and train both the lower level technicians and the involved commune members.

The Rwandan Water and Forests Service has a small but well-trained profes­ sional staff. At present there are eight forest engineers working within Rwanda with four potential foresters at various levels of training in other countries. 5 There are also eighteen foreign-trained forest technicians working .on various projects throughout the country. The majority of the technical personnel have been sent schools, predominately' in other to African countries, under the aegis of a Swiss project. The Rwandan Water and Forest Service will provide several individuals project staff.-One forester .to the (AI) and two technicians (A2) will be attached at the prefectural level. In addition, twenty forest monitors will be trained by the project and will give technical assistance to perform the immediate supervision of work of the project.

A favorable impres.sion was obtained of the Rwandan Water and Forest Service's competence, although its staff is spread quite thinly among the numerous other donor projects. The Swiss Kibuye school intends to train 30 technicians (A2) per year beginning in 1981, which should alleviate part of the staffing problem. Minimum construction of certain facilities will be required. A small concrete building will be built at the seat of the prefecture as the center of operations offices for the expatriate and advisors and the prefecture forestry personnel. A warehouse will also have to be built to store the equipment needed by the project. At the cc_=une level, areas will be set aside for the commune nursery, demonstration fields and communal training center. Additional nurseries (10,000 ­ 20,000 plants) plus multiplication areas for the forage grasses will be established in the commune to reduce the distance from the nursery Lo the field. Those sites where the government has already established multiplication areas will be supported by the project and expanded to produce fruit trees and other species. Parallel with the project efforts to increase forest production, it should be noted that AID-is also financing practical research and trials on the use of more efficient wood burning stoves in rurAl Rwanda. (Renewable and Improved Traditional Energy Project). An expanded effort to test various designs will be undertaken in the project communes. A small amount of funds, $20,000,will be available under this project the Energy Projt9t to assist to broadly expand its capability to put the stoves into the and to closely follow4their-acceptance communes and their energy use reduction benefits. 2. Commune Water Supply. Adequate water supply is available to approximately one-fourth of the population only. Adequacy is defined here in terms of water quality as well as reasonably easy access to sources. The constraint to pr~viding water communities has been to more identified as more of a financial problem than a technical detailed in a one. As report by Herbert G. Blank, REDSO Engineer (Rural Water completed in February Supply in wanda, 1981), and summarized here, a simple technolog ca~able put in place by expertise of being* found in rural Rwanda is available and is appropriate of Rwanda, for much including the Communes selected for the A.I.D. project. In all, there are seven types of rural water systems commonly installed in Rwanda. These are briefly summarized here.

(1) "Petites Sources" There are improved small springs located on mountain slopes and western Rwanda. throughout northern Springs are excavated until adequate flow is obtained, then protected with a masonry structure and provided with a public fountain in the vicinity of. the spring. A spring yielding eight cubic meters per day can serve on the order of 40 families. A Government/1NIC=F project has gained significant experience' in spring development, estimating an average cost 6

of $4'00 per system. These systems are virtually maintenance-free and the quality of water is generally good. The scope of this project ib limited to the existence of'springs in populated areas.

(2) Spring and Gravity Distribution

This is a common type of system with many variations. One or more springs can be developed to feed into a collecting reservoir and from there be distri­ *buted by gravity to one or more popvlation centers via public taps. Costs and maintenance requirements are low and well within the capability of residents of rural population centers. Springs are abundant throughout the hilly terrain of Rwanda.

The Dutch Volunteer Organization (OVN) has completed eight spring develop­ ment/gravity distribution projects at an average cost of $7200. This cost includes materials and salaries of skilled labor but does not include transpor-. tation. Such systems generally serve population centers consisting of churches, schools, markets and business and on the order of 100 to 500 families per system.

(3) Surface Water Source, Treatment and Gravity Distribution

Little information is available on these systems except that large projects of this type have been installed in the north of Rwanda at an investment cost of $625 per family, significantly higher than other types of systems. There would appear to be very few possible projects of this type where pumping of some form would not be required.

(4) Spring Source, Pumping and Distribution

In certain areas where population centers are located at higher elevations than possible sources, some means of pumping may be required to provide adequate service to the residents. Since electricity is uncommon in rural areas, diesel­ powered pumpskre generally required. These units have high initial costs as well as high operation auf maintenance costs which make them generally beyond the reach of most rural communities in Rwanda. It is estimated that the costs 6f a pump/engine set for a typical project is $25,000 with maintenance costs of $1250 per year. The high maintenance requirement necessitates the employment of a skilled pump operator.

(5) Surface Water Source, Treatment, Pumping, and Distribution

There are numerous lakes in Rwanda which can serve as rural water sources; however, in order to provide potable water, various degrees of treatment are required. The simplest method which has been developed is to drill a well in the vicinity of the lake, -elying on natural filtration by alluvial material to filter and thus provide water of adequate quality. More sophisticated types of systems have been installed in the Bugesera region for the World Bank project and also for the Belgian AID program. Treatment includes filtration, flocculation, sedimentation and aeration. The Bugesera East project, consisting of over 250 km of pipeline, is scheduled to begin operation at the end of April 1981, at a cost of over $10 million or $914 per family, with an operating cost estimated to require a water charge of 64 cents per cubic meter of water. 7

(6) Hand-due Wells Equipped with Handpumps

Hand-dug wells are common in Rwanda in areas not served by springs, particu­ larly in the south central region. Wells are generally one to 1.8 meters in diameter, are lined, and range in depths of up to 30 meters. The .cost of construction is on the order of $400 per'meter." A typical handpump-equipped hand-dug well to serve 50 families is estimated to cost $8000, though this cost appears high. The equipment and commodity cost components of this type of construction should be less than half that figure.

(7) Drilled Wells Equipped with Handpumps

This method of water supply is more cost-effective than hand-dug wells or gravity-fed spring systems ($120 investment cost per family versus $160 per family for hand-dug wells and $327 for gravity-fed spring systems). Maintenance costs of each of the three types of systems are estimated at between $10 and $12 per family per year.

It is recomended that the AID project concentrate on the installation of System 2, Spring and Gravity Distribution. The system will consist of cement cisterns which catch natural stream water and use gravity to pipe the water to various outlets. The distance from the source to the proposed outlet averages about three kilometers. In the three communes, about 28 systems have been tentatively identified (14 schools, 2 dispensaries, 10 small villages, 1 commer­ cial center and 1 market). A detailed study during PP preparation may change locations and/or number of systems.

Studies cdtpleted by AIDR (Association International de Developpement Rural), a Belgian non-profit organization,, active in water supply projects in Rwanda for many years, indicate that springs are available in the proposed project area in sufficient quantity and that they can be channelled in distribu­ ,ion systems. to serve a number of families. The construction and operation model to be followed has been successfully tested by two organizations, 'AIDR and the Netherlands Volunteer Organization (OVN), as well as by a priest who has trained a cadreiof Rwandans to install the systems.

The estimated cost of this system in 1981 averages about $6,040 per kilo­ meter, including commodities. If the project'is inplemented in 1982, the average cost per kilometer will come to about $6,950 (at the-raee of 15% infla­ tion). The cost of 28 systems (average 3 kilometers distance) is estimated at $584,000. Allowing 20% for contingencies, the total cost will be $690,000.

The PP design team will. be asked to investigate the possibility of putting in one or two systems drawing from surface water (lakes), using alternate energy sources (solar energy, windmills) to pump water, and simple sand-type filtration. The Energy Research Center at the University of Rwanda, with whom AID is already collaborating on research and testing of alternative energy sources, will be requested to work with the design team on the feasibility of installing such a system and in its -possible installation.

3. Rural Roads. Internal isolation and lack of adequate lines of communication, primarily of rural roads, form a serious impediment to access to health, eduhation, extension and other government services, and to markets. Road rep'air should not present any overwhelming technical problems. of the project will be on 'Focus of this compone Aiding the communes to improve existing roads. been proposed -- a km Only one new route 5 road in Nyamugali Commune linking the commune commercial office with the center, replacing the existing 20 km road. The lengths of most farm-to-market roads range from 10 km improvements will usually consist to 15 km. The proposed of providing drainage structures (labor culverts), regrading and gravelling intensive stone of some sections, and digging drainage ditches. and realignment of some sections may Widening be required. Equipment to be provided to will include shovels, picks, wheelbarrows the communes and other appropriate small equipment. The will also finance some labor costs, transportation project for rocks,dirt, etc. ,and material for bridges and culverts.

4. Other ADoropriate Infrastructure Rural water supply, reforestation and erosion control, and rural access roads interventions most often requested by communeleaders are the design team and those farmers with whom the PID had an opportunity to talk. A ninber of particularly rural works were requested, however, drainage of small marshes to facilitate the tilling of heavy soils for sweet ?otatoe production. / One'urpose of the project is to more-tho--irve communes the capacity 7 to submit project ideas to their officials, of the to discuss among themselves and d&tprmin for themselves their ability to carry out these recurring projects, to confront the prbblems of "\ repair and maintenance which these works may entail, to reach a community decisio on which works, from among several :heir projects choices, to involve themselves in, with the resources available to them. and finally to implem To assure -that -theproject-can respondto reasonable initiatives put forward propositions which have been generated by the commun as a result of the project interplay with decision-making and administrative processes, the commune about "$.1.6t,6bo will be reserved for use the communes. The PP design team will in set forth the criteria to be used in determining appropriateness their for4. project financing. There are several other#;sources of funds for small upon. Most important projects from which ihe communes can drz of these is the Communal Development Fund which several donors, in the Ministry for Interior tc including AID, contribute. The AID contribution currencies generated has been through from the sale of PL-480, Sect.206 food imports. however .These funds. are limited andimay not be available to the project communes. B. a.oLl-Government Development andPeplePart-ipation - The commune is the basic level of government in Rwanda.'A legally and fiscally _unit, its structure is based on the historical utonomous experience of Rwanda and is both cultural practices and fully c patible wi political realities. It can be a major force raul areas and is the-GOR-s-chosen-entity for develo ment in ordelivery services to rural areas.. The communes-have experience in raising funds, establishing and implementing..... ~~-acprojects. However, enforcing laws, and they-lack a criticl ms of (pysicalfinancal =anagerialy with which to implement development and a -critical.mass.ofactivities. The Rural Works project, b adtional funding and injecting both technical resourcs provid: and administrative expertiseniali in#o the commune _ornment, can overcome these deficiencies. The co--unes af-e-making-aneffort, within the limits of their resources, to address the deficiencies which they clearly i cognize. - . Up tc -cw, devel-c:ent activities in the three ccmmunes proposed for this project have 8a

included the construction of schoojsa dispensaries, improvements of water supp.ies-dfd terracing activit esihm ebenefitd of these projects have been limited by the lack of administrative -and technical capability at the commune'level (,.to maintain and develop them.-_

The lack of administrative capacity is clearly evi.dent in the uniquely Rwahdan institution of Umuganda (or community labor). Under the Umuganda system, each adult is required to contribute half a day of ,-7ork each week to community _p c!ts. This coittr or is the commune s major resource. e communes do an iMPre sive job of mobilizing large numbers of vorkers through Umuganda. In turn, this--laorf-oce works with both diligence and enthusiasms_ R ttably, howeer~uchQ~± imact ---lst cause of a lack of proper management. For example, while holes cause Ye a--ater run-ofon--O ds-a're - . filled in the cause of the holes---inadequate drainage--is not addressed. In most cases, construction of simpleculverts woul-d-easily-solve-this problem.­ On-other occai-6ns,--thie Umuganda labor is redirected to new projects, before /i'he satisfactory completion of the ongoing projects. 9 The AID project can address these problems. Technical assistance.traininp for officials and a moddst infusion of financial loc and physical resources will accele­ rate a process already begun by the Rwandan government. Once this. process reached a higher level of effectiveness, has it can be sustained at that level using purely local resources.

1. Country Profile. The FY83 Rwanda CDSS provides background on the country situation. 2. Commune Profile. Rwanda is divided administratively into ten prefectures. Prefectures are divided into subprefectures which in turn are divided into com­ munes. There are 143 communes in Rwanda. The prefects and subprefects are appointed by the him at the local President and represent level. Administratively, however, they Ministry of the are responsible to the Interior. Other ministries, such as Agriculture, and Natural Resources, Public Works,­ have representatives at the prefecture to the prefect as the.representative level, who report of the President, but are responsible to their respective effectively ministries. The budgets of the prefecture subprefecture are and controlled by the Ministry of the Interior. The communes are autonomous local government bodies.' The only central governmental control over the commune is the fact that the President appoints the burgoma3ter, who is the cheLejceUtive into off Each commune is divided 10 to 12 sectors. Policy on the commune council, level is decided by the commune which is composed of the sector leaders. into a number Each sector is divided of cells, each of whicb has a cell leader. divided into Cells are in turn family groups of three generations which cent hills inhabit one or more adja­ ("collines"). Each family group isheadedbyanelder-leader.

The commune is fiscally autonomous. It has the authority and indigenous mechanisms to raise revenue through the head tax, the cattle tax, the tax, and a variety cf other market means, such as fees, rents and even borrowing. of the majoi resources One that the commune has at its disposal form of community lUor is the indigenous called umuganda. Every adult in the half a day of labor commune contributes every week. Most of this labor is put especially road maintenance. into public works', Umuganda is organized by cell nated by sector. leaders and coordi­ leaders. -- Local taxes and fees as well as uuganda laborarethe-onlyresources -commune has to meet its obligations- the. t- nne -& national treasury7Thiy remain n the commune and are used to pay fon6salaries, services and other administrative operations. The personnel paid by the commune include the burgomaster, a commune council a jailer, of the sector leaders, local police, agricultural extension workers (called technician agronomes), a veterinarian and his assistants, social workers, secretarial a statistician, a youth staff, an accountant, counselor, a cooperatives officer, and sible for the commune a person respon­ water system. Teachers and school administrators commune are paid by in the the central government, although the commune for building and maintaining is responsible the schools. Health workers in the commune usually provided by the commune's are churches, but all other salaries and commune expenditures are paid by the revenues generated by the commune itself. There 10

is"tuallyn~o.inlection of central government funds in the commune budgit- Communes are plagued by serious -get dezlcit- ifns--Tchsometimes approach 30% of their actual expenditures. This problem, inadequate a cg.oUnting practices, problems of cash flow and other fiscal irregularities result in unpaid salaries-/ omplete lack .Tp'Ynning fo! maintenance-and-recuringaoszanrd generally­ morale and working conditions for communal staff.

The commune government is an indigenous institution to Rwanda with a recently qdded modern tint in the form of personnel with various modern responsibilities, such as agronomes, veterinarians, etc. The commune structure was the adminis­ trative unit of the Tutsi kingdom through which the Belgian administrators indirectly ruled prior to independence. To this effect, the modern government structure reflects the traditional system in that the prefect replaced the Belgian regional administrator, the subprefect replaced the Tutsi chief, and the burgomaster replaced the Hutu chiefs. Beyond the burgomaster, the sector leaders represent local Hutu chiefs and the cell leaders are actually lineage chiefs.

3. Socio/economic Infrastructure in the Communes. The economic infrastructures of the communes where the project will work--Butaro (pop. 43,000), Cyeru (pop. 44,000) and Nyamugali (pop. 36,000)--are weak. Health facilities are minimal, with Cyeru having only five dispensary beds, and Butaro and Nyamugali eleven each. The health of the population, particularly in Butaro and Nyamugali, suffers from deficiencies in both caloric and protein levels.

Educational facilities are more rumerous, with Cyeru and Nyamugali having 13 primary schools each and Butaro 14. The school enrollment rate for all three communes-is between 43% and 58%, in line with the national average of 49.5%.

The communications infrastructure in the three communes consists of one Citizen's Band radio at the subprefec-ture in Buberuka, and one post office serving the population of five communes (approximately 200,000). Each commune has a numberbf messengers who travel on foot. The distance between communal offices is about thirty kilometers. The commune of Cyeru uses a large drum situated in the yard in front of the communal office to send messages.

*Transport infrastructure is almost nonexistent. The three communes have a total of about 300 km of communal dirt roads which are carvedrbut of mountain sides. These roads are very narrow, with dangerous curves, and are in dire need of repair because of poor drainage. There are no pack animals 'inRwanda. Although there are some vehicles, in general most people simply walk and carry.uhings on :- : their heads. Most of the people observed carrying water, wood and produce on their heads were women and children. . There are no banks, gas stations or shops. Trading takes place in rural"weeklyor twice-weekly markets which dot the countryside at 5 to 10 km distances. The only structure which resembles a store is the local beer hut which exists in. all sectors and- in a number of the collines.

There are schools, dispensaries, missions, markets, water sources, local! government offices and forests which are inaccessible to vehicles even by di'rt roads.' 'The problems of communications and transportation in this region are critical because of the dispersed settlement patterns of the population (homesteads instead of villages). The closest thing to a nucleated settlement (village) is a con­ glomeration of buildings and a.few houses with a beer hut and a post office at the subprefectural headquarters in Buberuka.. There is also a biweekly market there. Within this- dispersed settlement.pattern, the integrating mechanisms are the markets, beer huts, schools, dispensaries, and government offices. These units rarely cluster in single settl---uts and are, in fact, dispersed them­ selves. Inadequate communications L A transportation systems linking these mechanisms to each other and to the population make it difficult to satisfy basic human needs and place special-burdenson_ women and chilren who are the main carriers." -.- . . .. .-- , - -.

The fact that the commune organization is a popular indigenous 1ns t ,kuon , wiiiich has fiscal autonomy and a measure of administrative autonomy make,-it n­ exellent%i vehicle for development. Proper and adequate AID intervention can . eeX Pe ,the commune budgetary capacity, fiscal policy and administrative poten- S o2' ide services and satisfy basic human needs.

4. Benef icir he-populatn-ofM--t--e trrSels 23,000) will benefit when the indigenous local government infrastructure is able to identify, plan and implement development projects with sound budgetary principles, taking into account maintenance and general recurring costs.

Improved roads will benefit the entire population. Such roads will also benefit the specific users of dispensaries (especially expectant women and small children), schools (children), markets and government offices. In an area characterized with dispersed settlement, roads are very significant.

The development and improvement of water systems will provide access to clean potable water. A large number of the inhabitants of eastern Cyeru and Nyamugali, especially the Pygmies, use swamp water. There are schools and dis­ pensaries without access to water. Water is transported by women and children carrying containers on their heads.

Reforestation will benefit the entire population of the three communes-. Reforestation will conserve the soil and provide firewood, which is the only source of fuel for heating and cooking and which is at present in short supply. Women and children have to traverse great distances in search o:F firewood. Reforestation will provide lumber for building houses. Today people are obliged to use expensive and imported tin roofing instead of locally produced roofing tiles from the abundant clay deposits in the area. The preference foitin is due to the fact that such a roof requires less lumber for support. I, the supply of lumber increases due to reforestation, the people could use more tile and a tile industry would be stimulated in the regions. The fuel to burn the tiles will also be provided from reforestation.

Reforestation of communal land will also benefit the entire population because the local government charges a fee for every tree cut. This will add revenue to the communal budget.

Terracing is also a soil conservation measure -Aich will benefit the entire population, as well as the owners of specific fields that will be terraced. The goal of the three communes is to terrace the entire area. Women will from terracing benefit because they are the ones who work on the steep weeding and harvesting, slopes hoeing, often with babies on their backs. In addition, grass will be grown as on terrace edges, it will be used to feed cattle which will be. crossbreeds in stalls that produce more milk and manure. There is already a cooperative in Nyamugali using these methods successfully.

In addition, direct beneficiaries will be the specific personnel who will be trained by.the project: the burgomasters, ants, and t.er: ma~itn~ agronomes, forestry people, acount­ anc*& "persons.,---,...... "......

5. Prticipation. One- purpose of the Rural Works Project issto capacity of -,develop-the the local governments of the three communes to implement' tain projects and "i..n­ services which satisfy basic human needs. The ment of local gove .-,\ the commune through its council of sector leaders is in effeLt parale . to, thp. social system in existence and the basis of citizen participation gov4iment affairs in i a decentralized structure. It is commonly unders the regi- that "if the people do not agree, the burgomaste. d o anything." The institution of umuganda, which will provi'de a large percentage manual labor needed for of the the physical implementation of the project, is also mechanism of citizen a participation from the family level up. The also employ skilled, project will semi-skilled and manual labor from the three communes. W7omen should be encouraged project to earn cash through employment opportunities that parallel their traditional roles in the division in the present of labor. The failure of the commune governments to maintain their systems, limited. water supply as they might be, is caused by a factor that goes quate budgetary beyond inade­ practices. The cause might be, in part, in entrusting tasks and responsibilities such to men who 'traditionally have nothing to do with water provision. It is the women and children who trek for water. A woman in charge of water maintenance might do a better job. III. Other Donor Assistance

In the process of preparing the reports which form the basis for this virtually all donors involved PID, in soil conservation/reforestation and water delivery projects, and in support to commune administration, have been contacted and their projects studied. We have gotten many suggestions on tbw best to proceed to a successful project, and the groundwork for future cooperation has been established. The most complete intervention and also the project of longest diiiation the Swiss Projet Pilote is Forestiere, begun in 1967. It includes a scholarship program which has supplied the majority of Rwanda's trained foresters and fores­ try technicians. It has supported the silvicultural division of the Institute of Scientific Research and, in 1978, established the Seed Center of Rwanda. The execution of activities has been limited to the Kibuye prefecture, as of 1978, a total of 77 but, nurseries (averaging 10,000 plants) had been established, and extensive education efforts have greatly augmented the reforestation efforts in rural areas. At present, there are eight Swiss expatriates working in fordstry activities in Rwanda. / 13

Other reforestation efforts generally are agricultural or pastoral projects with reforestation and soil conservation components of varying magnitudes.

The FAO/UNDP project for Agricultural Intensification in the Gikongoro pre­ fecture includes all 12 communes. Just begirining its second phase, it will.con­ tinue the implementation of'a large anti-erosion component.

The largest project, recently signed with the World Bank, is a six-year .$21 million project entitled the Rwandan Integrated Forestry and Livestock Devel­ opment project. It includes provisions for 8,000 hectares of firewood for' the Kigali and Butare areas, plus 10,000 hectares of service wood planted both to protect the Gishwati National Forest and to eventually supply lumber needs. The World Bank is also presently implementing two other projects with reforestation/ soil conservation components. In the northeast is an agropastoral project. Entering Phase II, it includes anti-erosion plantings of forage grasses. The Bugesera/Gisoka/Minongo project is a $14 million project which includes a refores­ tation and soil erosion component.

Belgium has a number of projects, although these are relatively smaller. The Rural Development project in two communes of the Byumba prefecture (Giti and. Rutare) contains a substantial erosion control/reforestation component. A pilot project, it is expected to begin in 1981. The Belgians also support various research studies and the ISAR at Rubona.

The Netherlands have a promotion project focused on encouraging reforesta­ tion and erosion control work in the prefecture of Gitarama which is financed by ILO.

German support includes an agropastoral project in Nyabisindu. Located in parts of the prefectures of Gitarama, Butare, and Gikongoro, it was begun in 1975. This program has a relatively large fruit tree planting effort in addition to distribution of forest trees.

The FED Ls anticipating a five-year pilot project for the Amelioration of Land in the Upper Attitude Regions of the Zaire Nile Crest.

The Banque Africaine de Developpement in the Karago and Giciye communes is financing a five-year project with a goal of reforesting some 2,000 hectares.

FIDA.will work in the Prefecture of Byumba with a rural works project that will support agriculture, reforestation and anti-erosion works and build roads in seven communes. The Byumba communes are contiguous to those propoftd for AID-funding in Ruhengeri Prefecture. AID Rwanda has discussed with the FIDA team leader the possibility of fielding our design teams at approximately the same time to take advantage of the combined expertise, to coordir!te our programs and to present a comprehensive program to the GOR for the geographic area. The FIDA mission will be in the field in September 1981.

Finally, ICN/World Wildlife Fund has a small project with one Peace Corps Volunteer attached to the Pedological Service of the Ministry for Education! The program consists of an extension program and the production of didactic materials for secondary schools in an effort to educate stiients and teachers in the meaning 14

and implications of "ecology" and "the environment." The major organization involved in the rural water sector in Rwanda (Association Internationale is AIDR de Developpement Rural), a Belgian nonprofit organi­ zation. Donor involvement includes programs sponsored by OVN (Dutch.Volunteers), a rural water-component of the World Bank-financed BGM project, a UNICEF project, and a rural water program under the direction of Father Bourguet. In 1964 the Government of Rwanda signed a contract which conferred the on AIDR responsibility for development and maintenance of water distribution in Rwanda. projects As of 1967,.AIDR was responsible for 32 projects, delivering thousand cubic over ten meters of water per day and consisting of over 260 km By 1973 the number of pipeline. of projects had risen to 44, for a total daily water delivery of 15 thousand cubic meters. AIDR's current program includes work for various government and donor jects. New systems pro­ are being constructed for the World Bank BGM project in Bugesera, and three crews are working in the southwest area from Butare in the development of small spring projects for UNICEF. The Dutch government, through the OVN (Dutch Volunteers), 1rovides technical assistance and funding for a rural self-help water supply project. Five teers volun­ administered by a technical director are installing spring-source fed systems. gravity­ Two volunteers are stationed in the Kibuye area, two in Btare, and one in the north at Base. Over the past eighteen months, eight projects have been completed, two are nearing completion, five are under construction, and seven are planned. Typically, a volunteer working with a counterpart supervises two projects. -Self-help labor is used extensively; masons and counterparts are the only salaried employees. The project also employs a Rwandan contractor, trained by AIDR, who designs and constructs subprojects. The technical director stated that two working counterparts under the project could eventually assume a similar role. IV. Project Implementati6n

At the national level, the project will be implemented in collaboration with the Ministry for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and with the Ministry for Interior.

The burden for implementing the specific components of the rest project will with local governments--the communes supported by the prefecture.% are already Communes engaged in programs for reforestation and road repair. Improving the techniques used will not bring these works out of the realm of the capability of the commune to perform. Water supply systems present more difficultiesgiven the engineering and con­ struction supervision required. The project proposes to use those organizations (AIDR, OVN, 'Pere Bourguet) which have long experience in Rwanda to implement this phase of the project. Technical assistance 'will be available to the project. At this point in the design, it has been determined that a soil conservationist will be required [67 15

full time over the life of the project. A second full-time tec nician, a special­ ist in rural development, with experience working with local governments, will also be recruited. Both will reside in Ruhengeri.

Short-term specialists in local government administration and in specialties to support the full-time technicians will be required. The GOR has reacted indifferently to the possibility of Peace Corps involvement. This question is being pursued further with the government.

The project will fund one administrator for the AID/Rwanda office to assist in project implementation.

V. Design Strategy for Project Paper

Three studies have already been completed in preplaration for this Prolect. These are:

1) "Rural Water Supply in Rwanda" by Herb Blank, REDSO water engineer dated February 1981.

* 2) A forestry and soil conservation report by Kelvin Mulally, forester, AFR/DR/SDP.

3) A study of the local resources in the commune--financial, administrative and personnel--by N. Gavrielides, anthropologist from the Syracuse University Local Revenue Administration Project.

In the process of preparing the analyses required for the Project Paper, additional studies will be required as follows:

1. Land tenure and land use. Since terracing may involve some alteration of field boundaries, the system of land use and land tenure should be studied and understood. AID/Rwanda staff is in the process of doing a bacKground paper on this subject 1amd will request a more complete study for the P.P. The University of Wisconsin Land Anure Center is a possible candidate for this study.

2. Recurrent costs. Recurring costs to the Central Government will be minimal, largely represented by salary payments to fieid technicians who are already. on the rolls. At this stage in design, we see no requirement for additional per­ sonnel. Costs to the communes will have to be examined closely, however. Maintenance of water systems forms one aspect of locally recurring costs. The opportunity costs involved in umuganda can be considerable, as can be4abor costs attributed to reforestation, both of which are continuing. This study should consider the possibility of assisting communes to develop small revenue­ generating activities.

3. More complete engineering studies on road repair requirements will have to be developed, as well as criteria for selecting roads to be repaired and stan­ dards of repair to be achieved. 16 A proposed schedule for PP design is as follows: July 25 PID forwarded REDSO August 15 PID forwarded AID/W September 11 PID review AID/W November 7 PP team fielded January 15 PP completed

The proposed PP team composition and funding is: !. Design Officer, REDSO/EA - 3 weeks 2. Engineer, water and roads (REDSO/EA) - 3 weeks 3. Forester/Soil Conservationist (AFR/DR/SDB, Kevin, Mulhlly) - 3 weeks 4. Environmentalist (PSC - PDS funds with assistance REDSO/EA environmental officer) - 3 weeks 5. Economist (PSC) - 4 weeks 6. Social Scientist/Public Administration Expert (PSC) - 3 weeks 7. Agronomist (PSC) - 3 weeks AID Rwanda has a PDS allocation of $30,000 to finance the design of this project. PSC' .here required, will be between AAO/Rwanda and the contractor. As this project is under $5 million, the AAO/Rwanda requests that AID/W consider auhorizing the Director of REDSO/EA to authorize the PP when completed. The PID approval cable should contain AID/W's determination.

VI. Estimated Project Costs Agriculture,Rural Development & nutrition Health A. Technical Assistance - Soil Conservationist/Forester 3 years- 100,000/yr. 300,000 - Rural Development administration specialist 3 years,@ 100,000/yr. 150,000 150,000 - Project Administrator (Locally contracted) 3 years @ 50,000/yr. 75,0001 75,000 - Short-term consultants 10 months. @ 10,000 70O00 '30,000 B. Sub-total: B. Training" 595,000 255,000 U.S.: Five commune/prefecture officials for up to 3 months in a course such as. the University of Pittsburgh course in public administration taught in French.(Feasibility of U.S.training at this level will be determined by the PP team).The PP can suggest alternate training possibilities in other countries or locally.) 50,000 In-country training: - In-service training and short course for various technical specialists, extension workers, accountants and ddministrators. 140,000 In Africa training: - Short courses, trips to observe similar projects in other East African countries. 15,000 15,000 Sub-,total 205,000 15,000 17

ARDN Health C. Vehicles . 5 pick-up trucks @15,000 60,000 15,000

Maintenance insurance & fuel costs (for three yrs.) - Fuel for 5 txucks @ 2.50.per-gallon.. (10,000 miles p.a. per vehicle @ 20 m.p.g.) 16,000 4,000 - Maintenance & insurance for trucks ($1,000 p.a. per vehicle for three years) 12,000 3,000

Sub-total 88,000 22,000 D. Rural Works - Water systems 690,000 - Reforestation/Soil Conservation 470,000

- Rural Roads 400,000 - Other rural infrastructure 200,0Z __00... Sub-total: 1,070,000 690,000

E.. Construction small warehouses, administrative support Sub-total: 260,000

TOTAL: 2,218,000 "-982,000 F. Contingency and Inflation 442,000 195,000 Grand Total 2,660,000 1,180,000 VTI. Initial Environmental Examination The following IEE was prepared by the REDSO/EA Environmental Officer who has recommended a negative determinat'ion. To assure, however, that the environ­ mental safeguards thought to exist at the time of the preparation of this PID are considered and reinforced in the development of the Project through the PP stage, we are requesting that an environmentalist be assigned to the PP team.

A. Rural Works Project

The Rural Works Project has several objectives, including: a) increased agricultural production; b) improved rural water supply; and c) improved rural roads. All of these objectives, either singly or in concert, wial have effects on the rural environment. The most important project activities are examined here in order to predict-what the major effects will be, and to assess whether or not negative impacts will occur.

B. Increased Agricultural Production

1. Reforestation. One of the major factors in increasing agricultural production will be the project effort in reforestation. This topic is covered in detail in the section on forestry and will be dealt with here only briefly. The project will encourage good agroforestry practices in order to ensure the correct use of shrubs, trees, crops or grass mixtures to provide fencing, fuel and food. This effort will generally reverse the negative effects of the present resource exploitation and will be beneficial to smallholders over the long term. The use of different tree species will be encouraged as explained in the forestry report. This is a welcomed change because the present "monoculture" of eucalyptus 18

throughout the majqr portion of the project area, although better than nothing, is not the ideal solution. Eucalyptus are notorious for their high water use and discouragement of ground cover in mature stands. In any event, this refores­ tation effort must be viewed as an important.positive environmental impact.

2. Soil Erosion Control. The general problem of soil erosion on steep slopes has been discussed in the forestry report. The principal erosion control measure favored is terracing, using forage grass plants for soil stabilization.

The additional use of natural or living fences (i.e., tree or shrub plant­ ings along borders) will go a long way toward reducing the loss of topsoil evident in the project area. In addition to simple terracing (Fig. 1), contour ditches (Fig. 2) and the more advanced contour terrace (Fig. 3) may be considered. The advantage of contour ditches and contour terraces is their capacity to store water and silt. Water storage in this case could be used to maintain ground water during dry periods after the rainy seasons. The contour terrace has been used successfully in Zambia, where the ditch is even provided in clay soil with a simple drain (posthole filled with sand or rocks) to assist in subsurface seepage to provide downslope water to crops. The contour terrace involves more work, but once properly constructed to include occasional spillways, it can be very effective in flood and erosion control, as well as a source of water and silt for spreading.

A certain number of simple physical structures are also possible during the first year of project operation. Such structures (catchment ponds, silt traps and check dams) would be built of local materials by hand labor, and should prove to be effective in slowing the movement of water and silt in gullies and depressions.

There is no doubt at all that these measures will definitely reverse the negative effects of past agricultural malpractice. However, in order to suc­ cessfully demonstrate the benefits, an attempt should be made to: a) monitor the present rates and patterns of erosion; and b) evaluate the effects of the different conitTol measures.

3. Secondary Effects of Increased Production. The combined project effort of reforestation and soil erosion control is expected to increase crop yield, animal production, and a demand for storage facilities. In turn, will this lead to an increase in use or demand for agrichemicals?

To answer this question, we must first look at the present constraints to agriculture in the project area. For example, agriculturalists alt ady have' noted that the productivity of food crops in Rwanda has not increased over the past five years (CDSS-FY83). The problems involved can be simply illustrated by one example. In the project area, white potatoes are becoming a popular food-item. The constraints to potato production are similar to those seen in other crops propagated by vegetative means (banana, sweet potato and cassava). The PNAP in Ruhengeri found that the single most important constraint for pota­ toes is7 the seed stock. Other constraints have been studied (fungus, plant spacing, desprouting, weeds, insect damage and soil fertility), but future increases in production will probably depend on: a) more careful selection of seed stock; b) use of handpulled, cut weeds as green compost to improve soil 19

Soil Conservation Measures

•, CROP . FORAGE CROP GRASS

Figure 1. Simple terrace (side view),

Figure 2.-- Simple contour ditch (side view)

U0-7

Figure 3. 1,Contour,terrace show~ing ,drain and sub-surface seepas 20

composition; and c) the introduction of disease-resistant varieties. Increased yields of almost three-fold have been obtained by using good agricultural practices even in the absence of any pesticide, fungicide or chemical fertili­ zer. Since agrichemical application on food crops is a rare event in Rwanda_ anyway, therd is little chance that negative impacts will occur from increased crop production.

With animal production, the increase in available fodder grass from the terraces will have a positive effect. However, yield in weight and numbers of the local cattle breed in Rwanda is related to the degree of tick control, which in turn depends on acaricide application. The present application tested and promoted by the FAO is a simple spray (total control or eradication is not feasible as in the more expensive methods, such as dipping). This present technique is so highly localized that even if increased in frequency, it would present no significant environmental impact. An increased demand for. storage facilities and pest control in stored produce will necessitate an active program in Integrated Pest Management to preserve the gains in yield of food grains. Here the advisory service of the Development Support Bureau (AID/Washington) would be very useful.

In summary, secondary environmental effects will occur as a result of the main efforts of the project, but they can be mitigated by good agricultural practice and extension training.

C. Improved Rural Water Supply

The intenf-ion of the project is to develop springs as water points and to use simple gravity distribution. ,Large-scale pumped systems will be avoided. The major environmental constraints here would be to ensure the proper design of the water points in order to discourage transmission of water-borne diseases. Within the project area, several excellent water points were seen that have already been developed from springs, probably 'by AID/R. Theywill serve as good models during the project design. Some degree of water quality mutt be guaranteed by ensuring that the water is not drawn from polluted aquifers. Simple water testing (for bacterial counts) should' be carried out in areas where problems are anticipated. The project design should follow Chapter 4, "Rural Water Supplies and Sanitation," in the U.S.-AID publication, "Environmental Design Considerations for Rural Development Projects."

D. Rural Roads

The improvement of existing roads in the project area will not, for. the most part, open up areas for development; therefore, a comprehensive environ­ mental study is not needed. Also, no natural ecological impacts are expected. However, in keeping with the major thrust of this project (to control soil erosion), the following design factors should be considered:

a) All slopes denuded during the build-up of embankments, cuts and bridge abutments should be reseeded and stabilized as soon as possible., The use of tree seedlings and Pennisetum,grass in some cases is an attractive possibility.

b) Proper alignment and protection of ditch banks and new culverts to provide good drainage during heavy rains is an absolute necessity. 21

Properly designed, constructed and maintained, the upgradej rural road should bring no -severe additional problems to areas through which it passes. On the contrary, broad improvements in rural health and well-being should result (Chapter 2 in design manual cited above). Consequently, no negative impacts are expected.

E. Construction

& Minimal construction activities are involved in the project. The con­ struction of an office, warehouse, agricultural nurseries, demonstration plots and communal training centers should not pose any significant environmental problems.

F. Summary

1) The primary effects of the project will generally be positive, or at least will reverse many negative impacts evident in the area;

2) Several subprojects have been suggested, and some of these may need separate IEEs when they are in the design stage;

3) In every case where they can be applied, the new environmental guide­ lines for design of rural works are recomended.

G. Determination

On the basis of the foregoing environmental examination, a negative deter-. ination is recommended for the project.

;c Initial Environmental Examination Project No. A.I.D. 696-0117

Project Location: Rwanda Project Title: Rural Works Funding (Fiscal Year and Amount): FY82-84 $3.84 millic 7EE Prepared by: John Gaudet Environmental Officer, REDSO/EA EnTVironmental Action Recommended: Negative Determination

Concurrence:

A.I.D. Affairs Officer, Kigali

Assistance Administrator's Decision

Approved:_ Disapproved: • _ _.... Date: ______

j7KJ