Uganda NDF Activities

Sio Malaba-Malakisi project (Baseline survey on water in Mella)

The UNDF conducted a study in Mella and Kwapa sub-counties in Tororo district within the Sio-Malaba Project catchment. Tororo district lies in the Eastern part of Uganda, sharing boundaries with Kenya divided by the Malaba River. The river originates from the mountain Elgon ranges in Western Kenya, branching off river Malakisi. Mella and Kwapa are among the areas that are drained by Malaba River as it continues its journey towards Lake Kyoga.

Mella and kwapa sub-counties are characterised by massive settlements though may be less populated than the more upstream sub-counties. In the two sub-counties, there is heavy cultivation, mostly by ox-driven ploughs for primary cultivation and hand hoes for weeding. Over 70% of the farmers in Tororo practice subsistence farming, and inter mix animals with crops. The most commonly reared animals are pigs, goats and cattle. The crops grown are mainly those that do not require a lot of rainfall throughout the year because Tororo experiences long spells of dry weather. The crops include sorghum, millet, cassava, maize and onions.

Naturally, there is low forest cover in Tororo district as a whole, the vegetation cover ranging from grassland to scattered savannah woodland, the situation not being different for Mella and Kwapa sub-counties.

The study focused on three areas (Water access/harvesting, Water and Sanitation and use of Water for Agriculture). The respondents were divided into four categories (Female adults, female youth, male adults, male youths and boys and girls of primary school going age). The survey focused on assessing the level of knowledge and practice on the various indicators among the different respondent categories. The survey report is available and will be distributed soon.


Engagement of NBI

The NBI policymakers, decision makers and implementers meet to receive updates on the progress of NBI programs and project implementation in Uganda. These meetings are geared towards renewing their understanding and appreciation of the NBI in Uganda and to facilitate the sharing of experiences and challenges in the implementation of the NBI Projects in Uganda. The meetings are also designed to facilitate the identification of mechanisms for future interaction and coordination of NBI implementation in Uganda. UNDF has been invited to attend some of the NBI coordination meetings. During the last meeting it was stated that UNDF was considered a key stakeholder and was expected to participate and contribute to the discussions and if possible also share an update on their work at such meetings. It was strongly felt that this will help avoid duplication and enable the policy makers take on board any issues of concern raised by the civil society. This meeting also served as a face to face discussion with the policy makers, decision makers and implementation officers and allowed free infraction. Indeed this has greatly improved the working relationships.

Awareness creation in schools

UNDF members have conducted awareness raising in schools on the Nile basin and activities in the region in the districts of Ntungamo, Rakai, Masaka, Kampala, Mukono, Jinja, Busia and Tororo between the months of July and August 2007.

By way of evaluation it was realized that every school visited expressed interest in forming a school club to further the initiative. It was further realized that programmes should be developed and planned to involve other stakeholders in the district like teachers, civic leaders, and community members because on their own, children will not achieve much.

For mobilization and organization of the awareness raising activities, UNDF has worked with the following member organizations and carried out awareness creation in the schools mentioned respectively;

Ntungamo - ARISE (Appropriate Revival Initiatives for Strategic Empowerment), Nyakyera Senior secondary School
Nyakyera Senior Secondary School participants were drawn from the school environment club and they recommended planting of trees. The school tree planting activity is on-going. They also requested that UNDF distributes seedlings to the community and should carry out sensitization seminars in all parishes so that all can learn the values of Water and the Nile.

Rakai – AEW (Agency for Environment and Wetlands), Kyampisi Primary School
Pupils of Kyampisi Primary School recommended that UNDF visits and educates environmental abusers. The pupils pledged to plant trees both at home and school as a demonstration of what they had learnt. They would continue to clean the environment around their school and homes to improve hygiene and stop members of the community from defecating near water sources. The school does not have a club but they promised to start a drama club as a tool of awareness creation.

Masaka – USEP (Uganda Association for Socio-economic progress), Kako Senior Secondary School
Participants from this school recommended that UNDF lobbies government and leaders to construct more public toilets and put in place more punitive measures against misuse or non use.

Kampala – Mariam Foundation Central College, Nateete
Mukono – UEEF (Uganda Environmental Education Foundation), St. Peters Primary School
Jinja – Auxiliary Foundation, Kiira Primary School
Busia – Happy Child Foundation, Riverside High School
Busia –- YES(Youth Environmental Service), Nagabita Primary School.
Tororo – SAFE (Sustainable Agriculture, Forest and Environment Concern), He Reigns High School


Public talk on “The ecology and socio-economic importance of fisheries in Lake Victoria: a case of the Nile Perch”

One of the main activities envisaged to promote dialogue is public debates and talks. Following a press report that over-harvesting of fisheries resources in Lake Victoria has impacted both on local fisheries and on the national economy, UNDF in partnership with NatureUganda invited experts from Fisheries Research Institute (FIRI) to inform the public on the status of fisheries on Lake Victoria with particular focus on Nile Perch.

The public talk was held at a time when the topic of Lake Victoria and the social economics of fish was a hot issue in scientific conferences and the media.

It generated debate and discussion on what is happening to lake Victoria, its economic potential, issues of using the waters of lake Victoria, recent declines in the water levels and the impacts, the Algea blooms on Lake Victoria and the increasing number of the small fish eating birds.

One of the major recommendations from the talk was that UNDF and Nature Uganda in collaboration with NaFIRRI undertakes further study on the subject, particularly on how the developments in the sector have impacted on the livelihoods of the fishing communities.

To link to the UNDF website please click here www.undf.or.ug 

©2010

Delegates at the Tekezze-Atbaba workshop, Kassala
Delegates at the Tekezze-Atbaba workshop, Kassala
Links
Ugandan NDF website