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An integrated social-ecological assessment of ecosystem service benefits in the Kagera River Basin in Eastern Africa

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Abstract

Sustaining multiple ecosystem service benefits in transboundary river basins is a complex and challenging task in the developing world. This can be attributed to conflicting conservation and human development needs and exacerbated by climate change impacts, especially episodic drought and flooding events. We use a case study from Rwanda in the Kagera River Basin in Eastern Africa to contextualize and examine how land use cover change, water access, and agro-ecosystems are vulnerable to myriad human and natural drivers of change. An integrated framework is employed for a nested social-ecological assessment of ecosystem service benefits drawing upon landscape and vulnerability mapping, agro-commodity value chains, and institutional analyses. The conceptual framework and case study provide leverage points for vertical and horizontal linkages that include cross-sectoral partnerships, multi-level governing networks, integrated water resource management, and livelihood security. Moreover, synergy between development and conservation outcomes can be achieved through joint adaptation planning and stewardship initiatives at the local district level with full participation of resource users and community leaders. These lessons from Rwanda and the Kagera River Basin provide opportunities for mainstreaming adaptation and development planning and building resilience towards regional environmental change in Eastern Africa.

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  1. http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/last accessed August 12th, 2017.

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Acknowledgements

The first author also acknowledges financial contribution under the Young International Scientist Fellow program (grant no. 2012 Y1ZA0010). The research assistantship by Shaoxia Xia, Ling Ge, and Suqun Qu are greatly appreciated. Adrie Mukashema and Stephane Mugabo provided statistical data and shape files that made the livelihood vulnerability mapping possible. Thanks to Andrew Song for providing materials on preference ranking and to Jeremy Pittman for providing useful suggestions. Two anonymous reviewers provided critical comments and suggestions that strengthened the paper.

Funding

This research was jointly funded by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (grant nos. 31161140355 and 31361140360) and the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resource Research (CAS Grant no. 2012SJ005).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Ahmed S. Khan

    Present address: Khan & Associates Sustainability Consulting Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, 32258, USA

  2. Hongmei Yi

    Present address: School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China

  3. Sedami Igor Armand Yevide

    Present address: Proforest Africa Office, Accra, Ghana

Authors and Affiliations

  1. United Nations Environment Program- International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP), Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Ahmed S. Khan, Hongmei Yi, Linxiu Zhang, Xiubo Yu, Erasme Mbanzamihigo & Sedami Igor Armand Yevide

  2. United Nations Environment Program- International Ecosystem Management Partnership, & Centre for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Hongmei Yi & Linxiu Zhang

  3. United Nations Environment Program- International Ecosystem Management Partnership & Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Xiubo Yu

  4. Rwanda Natural Resources Authority, Kigali, Rwanda

    Erasme Mbanzamihigo & Thierry Ngoga

  5. Rwanda Environment Management Authority, Kigali, Rwanda

    Gisele Umuhumuza

  6. Growth Consultant for Change, London, UK

    Thierry Ngoga

  7. United Nations Environment Program- International Ecosystem Management Partnership & Key Lab of Digital Earth Sciences, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Sedami Igor Armand Yevide

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Khan, A.S., Yi, H., Zhang, L. et al. An integrated social-ecological assessment of ecosystem service benefits in the Kagera River Basin in Eastern Africa. Reg Environ Change 19, 39–53 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-018-1356-0

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