During the first CIWA/World Bank Implementation Support Mission of the NCSCR Project, NBD showcased how its regional learning, capacity building, and partnerships are transforming livelihoods at community level. A field visit to Rwanda’s Muhanga District offered firsthand insights into the tangible results of NBD’s work through its member networks.

The first CIWA/World Bank Implementation Support Mission (ISM) of the Nile Civil Society for Climate Resilience (NCSCR) project was held (9th - 11th Oct. 2025) in Kigali, Rwanda. The mission combined indoor meetings and a field visit to Muhanga District, designed to showcase NBD’s community-level impact; particularly on how NBD’s work in capacity building, knowledge sharing, and partnerships translate into tangible livelihoods improvement for local communities.

At the centre of the Muhanga field visit was the work of Sustainable Development & Humanitarian Action (SDHA), a civil society organisation and member of the Rwanda National Discourse Forum (NBDF Rwanda), the national forum for NBD members in Rwanda. SDHA is committed to strengthening community-based climate resilience and promoting sustainable livelihoods, goals that are closely aligned with NBD’s mission across the Nile Basin.

Over the years, SDHA has benefited from NBD-led capacity-building programmes, peer learning exchanges, and experience-sharing platforms. Leveraging the skills and knowledge gained through these engagements, SDHA is now supporting Iterambere ry’Abahinzi Borozi Ba Makera (IABM) cooperative, a community-based group of more than 1,600 smallholder farmers cultivating in the Makera Watershed of Muhanga District.

SDHA supports IABM cooperative through offering sustainable agriculture extension services, mentorship, and technical guidance in value chain development. These interventions aim to improve food security, build climate resilience, and increase the income and capacity of small-scale farmers.

One of the most significant outcomes of SDHA’s work in partnership with Muhanga District was the completion of a feasibility study that explored the relationship between climate change and food insecurity among smallholder farmers in the Makera watershed area. The study offered in-depth analysis and strategic recommendations to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change within the Watershed.

As a direct result of this evidence-based engagement, the Government of Rwanda allocated 200 hectares of marshland in Makera to the IABM cooperative. This land is now being used for sustainable agriculture, providing secure access to resources and enabling long-term planning for food production and income generation for the members of the cooperative.

The impact of SDHA’s work is already visible. Today, IABM members are involved in the production of hybrid maize seeds, vegetable farming, and grain processing. A portion of their produce is now being exported through the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), connecting smallholder farmers to national and international markets. As a result of these efforts: Incomes for over 1,000 cooperative members have doubled; Farmers now have better access to training and technical support; and The cooperative’s organisational capacity and collective action have been significantly strengthened.

To ensure long-term sustainability, SDHA is working with the Rwanda National Discourse Forum (RNDF) to support the cooperative in developing a strategic plan to scale IABM’s impact.

The CIWA/WB delegation had the opportunity to interact directly with IABM members during the field visit. The interaction focused on local innovations that help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change and the challenges that communities face. These included Soil conservation techniques, Small-scale irrigation systems, Rainwater harvesting, and Other climate-smart agriculture practices. These practical solutions are improving resilience and livelihoods while showcasing the power of community-driven action backed by technical support and policy engagement.

The field visit demonstrated NBD’s multi-level operational structure, from its Regional Secretariat, through national-level platforms like NBDF Rwanda, and down to grassroots implementation through member organisations like SDHA. The CIWA/WB team praised the effectiveness and relevance of this structure and expressed appreciation for the collaboration and interdependence between the NBD Secretariat, national discourse forums, and their member organisations since some NDFs' offices are actually hosted by their own member organisations as it is for NBDF Rwanda.

They also shared valuable insights on how the IABM success story witnessed in Muhanga can be scaled across other countries in the Nile Basin. The delegation expressed strong interest in visiting National Discourse Forums in other countries to learn of the initiatives they are undertaking and their impact in the community.