Burundi NDF Recent and Upcoming Activities

Burundi NDF Activities
Recent Activities Establishment of a resource centre The BNDF has opened its resource centre and equipped it will materials and other electronic equipment. A consultant has been hired to catalogue all the documentation in the resource centre and propose the best way to manage to centre. Documentary on Burundi environment challenges A twenty-six minuite film was produced by the NDF which highlights Burundi’s 5 biggest challenges of the Burundian environment located in the Nile basin zone. These challenges are the following: The deforestation The deforestation is essentially as a result of bad governance, population’s ignorance and lack of alternatives for the population as regards energy. Attention was centred on the Kibira forest which is a big water tank and where most of the Nile Basin Rivers, among which Ruvubu, take sources. Soil degradation and the demographic explosion The degradation of farmlands is as a result of the excessive erosion caused by bad agricultural practices and stressed by an alarming population growth (Burundi has an average density exceeding 300 hbts/km ²). At the moment, the national average surface of a farming land by household is of 0.5 hectares with an average of 5 children per household. Burundi has no national demographic policy. The degradation of wet, ground and aquatic ecosystems Wet and aquatic ecosystems’ degradation is a result of quarries and mines’ anarchy exploitation, swamps anarchical organizations for agricultural purposes, floods and rivers’ rise in water level, and pollution caused especially by SOGESTAL factories where coffee is processed. Mines and quarries anarchy exploitation negative impact Mines and quarries are characterized by anarchy exploitation without any control measures. These pose a threat to the destruction of infrastructures (roads, bridges, etc.). Although there are legal tools governing the exploitation of these resources, these are not enforced. The film was reproduced on DVD and copies were distributed to BNDFs’ member associations and to various partners especially the national Coordinators of projects under NBI, key Ministries in touch with the environment management, certain embassies and some United Nations agencies (FAO, UNDP). This film also broadcast on national television. Public debates BNDF organised a debate with journalists on the challenges of the environment) and the problem of water management in Burundi. This activity provided the journalists with more information that would be useful when reporting on the Nile basin. They emphasized the need for training and networking with all stakeholders to improve on their knowledge base. Upcoming Activities Organization of a bimonthly public debate on Nile and water issues/questions evaluate the impact of engaging parties in the identification and the execution of projects under NBI in Burundi study the current or potential impact of projects under NBI on poverty reduction in Burundi study the comparative advantages of the various sources of energy on the ecological and economic point of view To organize 2 training workshops on the environmental impact evaluation for members of BNDF's member organizations To organize 4 training workshops on relations between environment management and poverty reduction for media professionals and trainers of schools environment clubs Organization of 2 training workshops on communication and lobbying techniques for leaders of BNDF's member organizations

Burundi NDF Activities