- The Muvumba multi-purpose dam will be launched in June 2023 following the completion of the project’s design phase, which began in 2015.
- The dam will also provide drinking water for more than 118,000 people by 2035, according to the Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority (RWFA).
The water from the Muvumba dam will be used for several purposes. The agricultural component of the Muvumba project includes irrigation works on 8,800 hectares throughout the Eastern Province, which is known for its cereal production, particularly rice and maize. This project will impact over 50,000 farmers, mainly in the regions of Tabagwe, Karama, Gatunda and Rwimiyaga, severely affected by drought in recent years.
The dam will also provide more than 118,000 people with drinking water by 2035, according to the Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority (RWFA), and supply 16 livestock tanks in the Nyagatare district. The project will also generate electricity, with an installed capacity of 1 MW, or an annual production of 6.94 GWh, according to the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB). The Rwandan government will finance the project with a loan of 122 billion Rwandan francs (just over €107 million) from the African Development Bank (AfDB).