Rwanda Plants Fruit Trees in Schools

Why this is here: Rwanda plans to grow 300 million seedlings as part of its second National Strategy for Transformation, with forests currently covering 30.4 percent of the country.

UNICEF and Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment will plant over 160,000 fruit trees in nearly 4,500 primary schools and 232 ECD centers. The initiative, called “Our Trees, Our Future,” aims to improve school feeding programs and teach children about environmental conservation. Each school will receive roughly 40 seedlings—avocado, mango, orange, and lemon—with planting scheduled for September to November.

One Acre Fund will help with implementation, including grafting and monitoring the trees’ long-term health. Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director, noted Rwanda’s high primary school enrollment makes schools ideal for reaching children with climate education. The program seeks to address food security, environmental degradation, and provide wind protection for school buildings.

Currently, many Rwandan schools lack access to fresh fruit and have limited tree cover. While the program intends to support local tree nursery operators, the long-term survival rate of the trees and the extent of their impact on nutrition remain to be seen. UNICEF hopes to expand this model to other countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.