The policy notes the various efforts charged at uplifting environmental conditions over the years. It however also notes the continued deterioration of the environment as a result of high population density, erosion, deforestation, various pollution forms, and the lack of a coordinated framework (political, legal, and institutional) arising from the unrest of 1994. This policy seeks to bridge the gap by providing principles and objectives to guide activities towards making the environment safer.

The youth sector strategic plan is anchored to the objectives and guidelines of vision 2020, the EDPRS, the MDGs, and the seven-year government programme. It pushes to attain a youth population that is Healthy Apt/Attitude Patriotic Productive Innovative (HAPPI). It sets out to address the seven major challenges affecting the youth sector; employable skills and unemployment, negative mindset and attitude, access to finance, ICT facilities, health services and facilities, sports and recreation, and youth delinquency.

The forest sector in Rwanda is crucial, owing to its strategic position in the provision of livelihood and on the general development of the country. The national forest policy ranks highest among the strategic interventions aimed at improving the forest sector. It seeks to complement efforts and strategies contained in the5 year forest sector strategic plan, and the nine-year national forest management plan. It plays an active role in strengthening forest institutions and supporting Rwanda’s goal to achieve a green economy.

The policy highlights the resolve of the government to strengthen the water resources management sub-sector. This is based on the strategic nature of water resources as the most important of the natural resources in Rwanda. ‘‘To manage and develop the water resources of Rwanda in an integrated and sustainable manner, to secure and provide water of adequate quantity and quality for all social and economic needs of the present and future generations with the full participation of all stakeholders in decisions affecting water resources management’’ is the overall objective of the policy.

The goal of the 5year strategic plan is to equitably harness Rwanda’s water resources, as a precursor to achieving its environmental commitments, as enshrined in national policies like vision 2020 and the EDPRS. The challenge to be tackled by the strategic plan is the need to meet the demand for water in the face of dwindling quantity and quality.

The government of Rwanda has prioritised agricultural transformation and rural development in its framework for the implementation of its vision 2020 and poverty reduction strategic plan. The plan defines ten strategic axes to drive its principles and framework, including among others; diversification of sources of income and rural development, intensification of the crop, animal, and aquatic production, effective linkage to markets, favourable investment environment, redefinition of the role of the ministry of agriculture and animal resources, and promotion of gender approach.

The action plan represents the push to implement the convention on biological diversity (CBD) objectives. The plan recognises the uniqueness of the biodiversity components present in Rwanda, and the need to ensure its sustainable development for the benefits of the people and the nation. The strategy consists of 19 national targets, all towards stemming the loss of biodiversity and improvement of their economic benefits

The investment plan acknowledges the importance of agriculture to Rwanda. The sector employs the bulk of the country’s population and contributes significantly to the country’s GDP and total export revenues. The plan seeks to embark on target investments, to stimulate increased agricultural production. This is to ensure the target of a 9% sustained growth rate of agriculture, as enshrined in the vision 2020, is attained. The plan’s overall objective is to contribute to sustained food and nutritional security, increase rural household income, and contribute to securing national growth.

This serves as a coordinating and coherent strategy for addressing key issues as it relates to Rwanda’s biodiversity. The policy is developed to serve as the implementation framework for attaining the environmental targets and objectives contained in the economic development and poverty reduction strategy (EDPRS), and the vision 2020.

This document highlights the resolve of the government to strengthen the country’s higher education system to meet international standards. The policy aims to build on existing structures to ensure dividends from a sound higher educational system are maximized.

The plan for economic development and poverty reduction has as one of its core backings, the improved health of the population. The national food and nutrition strategic plan thus seek to implement the revised national food and nutrition policy. It focuses on the resolve to tackle the prevalence of stunting among children under the age of two, as well as the push to adequately address food security among vulnerable households.

The effect of animal and plant diseases range from threats to food security, food safety, national economies, biodiversity and the rural environment. The plan assesses the state of knowledge about the impact of these diseases and how they’re managed. It explores a multisectoral approach towards understanding disasters related to plant and animal diseases. Specifically, the plan leverages past cases of plant and animal diseases to develop new insights at tackling new cases.

The National Forestry Strategic Plan is coherent with other national and sectoral programs and strategies; the constitution of Rwanda, the
GoR flagship programs of Vision 2020 and the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), the Environment and Natural Resources Sector Strategic Plan (ENRSSP), the National Forestry Policy and other sectoral policies. Its objectives also align with other forest-related documents in seeking to improve the position of the forestry sector as one of the pillars of the economy and ecological balance, as well as maximising the accruable benefits from the sector.

The 5 years strategic plan pushes to ensure the judicious and productive use of the environment and natural resources present in Rwanda. This is based on the deteriorating condition of the quantity and quality of this resource. The effective goal is to support equitable and sustained national development and poverty reduction.

The policy represents the government’s commitment to protecting children and fighting child labour. This is in line with the endorsement by the government of Rwanda of the International Labour Convention of 1973 concerning the Minimum Age for Admission to Employment; and the International Labour Convention of 1999 concerning Worst Forms of Child Labour. The government thus intends to eliminate all forms of child labour, and create enabling environment to address child labour’s underlying issues.

The national tree reproductive materials strategy aims to drive the supply of genetically adapted tree reproductive materials. This is in a bid to boost sustainable production and the establishment of forest plantations that can contribute towards the push for a green economy in Rwanda. It prioritises two strategic goals; goal 1 deals with production, promotion, processing, storage systems, and quality control of tree reproductive materials, while goal 2 pushes to leverage on research to ensure long-term sustainability.

The National Water Resources Master Plan of Rwanda (NWRPM) is the framework for the implementation of objectives and statements of the National Policy for Water Resources Management. The general objective of the Master Plan is to ensure sustainable water resources development, utilization and management in Rwanda. serving as a blueprint for sustainable water, land and resources development, it aims to maximize economic and social benefits accruable from water resources, and further promote the safety of the environment.

The strategy notes that despite the efforts and interventions of the government, a significant proportion of the population still lives in abject poverty, or are vulnerable to poverty. The strategy sets out interventions across 2 main spheres: regular and predicable cash transfer to support people living in, and vulnerable to poverty; and ensuring unhindered and unconditional access to basic public services such as education and health.

The contingency plan draws on historical facts and experiences of floods and landslides in coming up with scenario managers and assumptions to combat such issues as they may arise. The plan prioritises places and regions especially prone to floods and landslides. Its overall objective is to ensure a timely and coordinated response to floods and landslides disasters, in a bid to minimise their effects on citizens, properties, and the environment.

The ministerial order highlights conditions necessary for marketing quality seeds in Rwanda. It states that seeds taking the status of quality seeds should have been produced strictly under the principles and regulations guiding the production of quality seeds.