In Rwanda, climate change means increasingly intense rainy seasons. In this small, densely populated Central African country, the vast majority of the population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture for survival. Intensive land use has weakened the soils, which, during storms, turn into torrents of sometimes deadly mud.

In Gicumbi, in the north of the country, these increasingly violent landslides regularly carry away houses and crops on the hillsides.

To respond to the climate emergency, the Rwandan government has launched a pharaonic project to transform landscapes and adapt agricultural practices: the “Green Gicumbi” project. Tree planting and terraced farming are being implemented, mobilizing the entire population to reshape the region.

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Story published in Le Monde