Rwanda

Rwanda’s social landscape is changing rapidly. The country’s economy is among the fastest growing in Africa. It is the second most densely populated country on the continent. And it is becoming a major eco-tourism and conferencing destination.

These changes come with growing pains. Agriculture is Rwanda’s dominant economic sector, contributing 35% of the country’s GDP, but the amount of land available for further agricultural expansion is limited. This is driving many people to move to Rwanda’s cities: 70% of the country’s population is expected to live in urban areas by 2050. Such rapid urbanization could lead to unplanned land use, which can threaten the environment and increase flood risks, land degradation and biodiversity loss, while making people in urban centers more vulnerable. Food security, high poverty levels, and the country’s vulnerability to climate change impacts also threaten Rwanda’s development.

The Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2050 articulates a bold long-term ambition to be upper middle-income by 2035 and a high-income country by 2050, thereby transforming the economy and modernizing the lives of all Rwandans.

WRI aims to catalyze inclusive, green and resilient development in Rwanda. The WRI Rwanda team works with national and local governments, businesses and civil society to help improve Rwanda’s food security, revitalize its lands, expand clean energy systems and build prosperous, resilient cities.

_{Image by Ben Terrett/Flickr}