Climate-resilient local development through the “Pro-poor development” Basket Fund

Rwanda has achieved some of the highest rates of access to public services in sub‑Saharan Africa. However, rural areas still lag behind urban centers. In many districts, residents face longer travel times to hospitals and schools, and access to improved water systems remains lower. These areas are also more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which can disrupt water supply systems, damage infrastructure, and further widen existing inequalities. The PPD specifically addresses these challenges by investing in rural health facilities, schools, roads, bridges, and water systems to strengthen resilience and reduce disparities.

Rwanda’s Local Administrative Development Agency (LODA) has established a Basket Fund to finance small-scale basic infrastructures in 16 rural districts, according to the needs and demands directly expressed by the local population. Targeted projects fall within the sectors of water and sanitation, health, agriculture, education, roads and bridges. In addition to funding infrastructures projects, the Basket Fund also supports LODA and the districtson climate change mainstreaming, with technical support from the Global Centre for Adaptation. The Basket Fund is cosponsored by AFD, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and the Luxembourg Embassy through LuxDev.

The main expected effects are improved living and subsistence conditions for the inhabitants of Rwanda's poorest districts, mainly through improved access to essential services, fostered economic development, and increased resilience to the impact of climate change. The key achievements as of mid-2025 are: 

• 127 ha of radical terraces constructed to boost agricultural productivity;

• 27 km of roads and 22 bridges built or rehabilitated, improving rural connectivity;

• 4 student dormitories upgraded to support better learning environments;

• 217 classrooms constructed or rehabilitated;

• 17 health centers rehabilitated or extended, enhancing access to quality healthcare;

• 100 latrines built or refurbished to improve hygiene and sanitation in communities;

• Creation of climate committees in 2 districts (Ngororero and Nyabihu)