Rwanda national land policy

Hajabakiga, Patricia

Rwanda is a landlocked country in central Africa. It has a population of 8.2 million and land surface area of 26,388 square kilometres. With a population density of over 340 per square kilometre, it is one of the most densely populated country in Africa. About 92 per cent of its inhabitants live in the rural areas and 90 per cent of them depend on agriculture. The per capita income is estimated to be US$ 250 and the incidence of poverty below a national poverty is slightly above 60 per cent. Being the 159th of 177 countries on the Human Development Index, it is one of the poorest countries of the world. More than 70 per cent of the poor are in the rural areas depending on agriculture for a livelihood. Rwanda has a hilly topography. More than 50 per cent of farm holds experience severe forms of soil and fluvial erosion. Because of land scarcity, there is over cultivation of agricultural fields and almost all marginal lands are being utilized. Due to demographic pressure man based environmental degradation and lack of application of modern methods of agriculture productivity per area of all major crops has been declining since 1990s.

Event: Decision Makers Meeting on Good Administration of Land in Africa : Land Administration for Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth

Document type:Rwanda national land policy (59 kB - pdf)