Soil erosion is a complex process that results in soil and fertility losses from agricultural land and, ultimately, leads to river sedimentation. This study aimed to assess various influential factors and processes affecting soil erosion and to recommend suitable site-based Soil Erosion Control Measures (SECM) for sustainable agriculture while minimizing the downstream rivers and reservoir sedimentation in the Sebeya watershed of Rwanda. The present research used a literature review, site visits, and focus groups to assess various SECM within the Sebeya watershed. As a result, various site-based SECM were evaluated, recommended, and simulated to alleviate high soil loss rates in the Sebeya watershed using the Universal Soil Erosion Equation (USLE) model. Simulating existing and proposed SECM, soil loss was reduced significantly from 73 t/ha/y to 29 t/ha/y. To highlight the implication of the site-based recommended SECM in improving agricultural productivity, this study suggests field investigations in soil erosion plots and prediction of crop yields from an established linear correlation model between soil loss and crop yields in the Sebeya watershed. For effective action in reducing high soil erosion rates to tolerable rates in the Sebeya watershed, the present research recommends implementing the site-based recommended SECM with mulching and drainage channels on the same farmland. However, lack of money and knowledge are the main limitations in implementing SECM in the Sebeya watershed. Therefore, governmental and non-governmental organizations should technically and financially help farmers in the Sebeya watershed.

Although groundwater serves as the predominant source of drinking water across many rural regions and certain urban areas of Rwanda, little is known about this resource. Anthropogenic impacts, such as faecal contamination, as well as geogenic water quality problems, including elevated arsenic, fluoride, iron, and manganese, are among the issues of concern for groundwater quality in Rwanda. Long-term groundwater monitoring can provide data on the evolution of groundwater quantity and quality. It helps to identify trends related to over-abstraction, reduced recharge, and pollution, which supporting resource management decisions. This review assesses the current state of groundwater monitoring in Rwanda by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing monitoring efforts, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for improved groundwater monitoring and management. The findings indicate that groundwater quality assessments are only conducted for specific purposes without considering broader issues and that groundwater monitoring in Rwanda is, in many respects, insufficient. Based on these findings, the following recommendations are made: (1) expand the existing groundwater monitoring network to encompass all groundwater types, geological settings, and anthropogenic pressures in Rwanda; (2) install rainfall gauging stations at or near the groundwater monitoring stations to enhance the interpretation of groundwater monitoring data; (3) conduct groundwater sampling campaigns at least twice a year, that include major ion analyses; and (4) to regularly analyze and disseminate the monitoring results.

Background: Water play important role in industrial operation of food processing, such ingredient of the product, operation of equipment such as boilers, cooling towers, cleaning purposes to ensure a sufficient level of hygiene and food safety etc. Rwanda is rapidly developing and this development is associated with increase in population, urbanization, industrialization, modification of agricultural practices including rise in area of irrigated land etc. All these could cause increase in water uses and modification of water demand. Assessing future water demand of the country requires the understanding of specific water demand of different sectors mentioned above and its variation within those sectors. Growth of industrial sector is expected to rise in Rwanda especially because of the created enabling environment; this of cause will cause the rise in industrial water demand. In order to understand industrial water demand and be able to project it for the future it is necessary to know specific water demand of different type of industries in the country. However, there is no published evidence of this information country wide. It is therefore necessary to conduct industrial water demand assessment in the country. The main of this study is to quantify industrial water demand for different types of industries in Rwanda. Methods: The data used for this study were obtained from records of various food processing industries and breweries, interviews and from relevant organizations such as Rwanda Development Board (RDB), Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC), Ministry of Trade (MINICOM), and National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). Specific water demand for various products was estimated taking into consideration the amount of water used and quantity of product produced. Correlation method in MATHLAB was used to determine the relationship between water used and production. Results and discussion: The results show that industrial water used for some industrial production in Rwanda is within the recommend limit example maize flour 2m³/ton and breweries such as beer production industry 4 to 4.5 m³/m³ and carbonate soft drink industries 4m³/m³, as against internationally recommended water of 2m³/ton, and 6.5 m³/m³ respectively. However water uses for of the following, Sugar making industry 29/m³/t, Meat processing industry 5/m³/t and Tomato paste production industry 6 m³/ton exceeded the internationally recommended which are 25/m³/t, 2/m³/t, 3.58 m³/ton. Tomato Paste production industry shown strong relationship because as water demand is increasing also production is increasing. Thus from this linear model, about 98% of the variation in water demand can be explained by variation of tomato paste production due to high relationship between water demand and tomato paste production. Conclusions: The quantity of water consumption differs between types of industries. It was revealed that the brewing industries uses more water than any other kind of industries in Rwanda this could related the amount of production and demand for the product. There is wide difference in specific water consumption between various industries. Brewery industries in Rwanda have shown best practice of water demand with specific water demand of 4 to 4.5 m³/m³ of final product in which is less than the global bench mark of 6.5 m³/m³. Improvements need to be made in order to achieve the recommended best practice of three cubic meters of raw water for every cubic meter of carbonate soft drinks and four cubic meters of raw water for every cubic meter of beer produced.

Soil erosion is a worldwide environmental problem leading to low agricultural productivity and water quality degradation. Improving soil erosion control measures is essential. This study reports the results of a survey of 75 farmers, using structured interviews, field observations, and focus groups to analyze farmers’ perceptions concerning current and future efforts to adopt Soil Erosion Control (SEC) measures in the Sebeya catchment located in the Western Province of Rwanda. Various factors influencing farmers’ perceptions of soil erosion causes, effects, and willingness to adopt SEC measures were analyzed using descriptive statistics and SPSS (Version 20), including t-tests, chi-square tests, and a binary logistic regression model. Chi-square test results indicate that gender, farmer age, land ownership, farmland size, social media access, and credit access were strongly associated (p < 0.05) with the adoption of SEC measures, while marital status and education were not. A binary logistic regression model showed that among farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, farming experience (B = 0.749; p = 0.020) and access to socio media (B = 2.107; p = 0.027) were positively correlated, while age (B = −0.642; p = 0.035) and gender (B = −2.034; p = 0.032) were negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with the adoption of SEC measures. In order to mitigate high soil erosion rates and increase food production, there is a need for the government to support farmers, and train them. A highly skilled technical team should be mobilized to assist in implementing SEC measures in the Sebeya catchment.

Background: Kigali, Rwanda’s rapidly growing capital, faces major challenges in household-level Fecal Sludge Management (FSM), with over 89% of households using pit latrines and only 48% accessing unshared sanitation. FSM services are limited, costly, and poorly executed, leading to frequent illegal dumping. Objective: This review analyzes the literature on sanitation in Kigali to identify key gaps, synergies, and recommendations for improvement. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 73 relevant publications were selected from various scientific and governmental sources. Publications were included only if they were published from 2013 to 2024 and had information on sanitation in Kigali. NOS and JBI tools were utilized to assess the quality of included publications. Results: Data were categorized into four themes, (1) access to sanitation, (2) FSM services, (3) public health, and (4) sanitation governance, and analyzed using thematic, narrative, and descriptive methods. Findings reveal a dysfunctional FSM service chain, weak policy enforcement due to overlapping responsibilities, underfunding, and limited private sector participation. These issues contribute to poor sanitation, inadequate hygiene, and prevalence of diarrheal diseases and Tropical Neglected Diseases, especially among young children. Conclusions: The review recommends strengthening governance and clarifying roles, enforcing adaptable regulations, promoting public–private partnerships, and managing the full FSM service chain more effectively. Future research should focus on developing context-specific technologies and financing strategies to support sustainable FSM solutions in Kigali.