Members of Rwanda’s Parliament are raising concerns about the frequent delays in projects designed to reduce dependency on wood fuel. They are advocating for more comprehensive evaluations of these projects before their implementation, emphasizing that many of these initiatives often begin but fail to reach their intended goals.
A important aspect of the government’s development and environmental protection efforts is to lessen reliance on wood fuel by encouraging utilizing alternative fuel sources through various initiatives. However, members of Parliament have noted that such projects frequently do not sustain themselves, prompting worries about their long-term effectiveness.
Dr. Jimmy Gasore, the Minister of Infrastructure, recognized that these initiatives have encountered challenges. He mentioned that steps are being taken to ensure thorough assessments are completed before projects are launched in order to prevent losses.
He noted, “Indeed, the biogas project was poorly managed because it was executed at the district level without adequate resources for its upkeep. Ongoing research is investigating alternative fuel solutions, which will assist us in our effort to reduce wood-based fuel consumption. Our goal is to adopt a broader perspective on sustainable solutions and to identify funding sources that can provide enduring answers to these challenges.”
The government has set a target of achieving a 42% decrease in wood fuel usage by 2024.
