Project properties

Title Modelling the impact of agroforestry practices to inform a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme in the Rukeri water catchment, Rwanda
Group Soil Physics and Land Management group
Project type thesis
Credits 24-39
Supervisor(s) Luuk Fleskens
Examiner(s) Coen Ritsema
Contact info Luuk Fleskens
Begin date 2021/04/01
End date
Description Organization
Dutch International Business cooperative (DIBcoop) offers several services in the agri(-business) sector, whereby they focus on business development, provide technical expertise and raise funding for projects. Technical expertise is required for one of their projects in Rwanda. In this project, sustainable land management (SLM) practices are introduced to restore ecosystem services and increase the resilience of the landscape to climate variability.

Topic
A Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme will be introduced in a pilot area in the Rukeri watershed in Rwanda in to establish a holistic water catchment approach. Previous studies show that introducing uphill agroforestry practices will result in a decrease in soil erosion in the uphill areas and reduction of downhill soil deposition in the downhill tea plantation. Therewith, the agroforestry practices will make the catchment area more resilient to climate change. However, not all aspects have thoroughly been examined. Combinations of various up- and downhill interventions might be the key to a more effective PES approach to be introduces in the entire watershed.

DIBcoop is seeking a student to conduct a sediment transport and/or water balance study that includes various interventions to further develop a model to quantify the PES approach for the whole Rukeri water catchment. The results will be used for the expansion of the PES approach in the area to encourage agricultural development and food security status of Rwanda.
Used skills
Requirements