Beach Management Units as Co-management Institutions for Lake Victoria Fisheries: Milestone or Mirage?
The Partner States of the East African Community (EAC) adopted fisheries co-management in their national fisheries policies and, together as the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization (LVFO), are implementing the approach on Lake Victoria through Beach Management Units (BMUs). These have since become the foundation of fisheries co-management in East Africa, working with local and national government, the private sector processing industry and non-governmental organizations.
However, BMU practice in the three countries is different from the above policy, as evidenced by the serious decline in the Nile Perch stocks in 2009 and the continued presence of illegal methods of fishing (LVFO, 2009). As part of the World Fisheries Day 2009, the East African SusWatch network and ECOVIC Uganda Chapter organized this One - day Seminar that brought together BMU representatives and CSOs from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to share experience with LVFO and the Uganda National Fisheries Resources and Research Institute (NaFIRRI) at Brisk Recreation Center in Jinja (Uganda) on November 24, 2009. Find a presentation from LVFO Overview of the Mandate, Structures, Challenges and Proposals for their strengthening and improvement of BMUs and alsoA presentation from NaFIRRI on Uganda’s experiences with BMUs.
After a training course on East African Community Integration that took place from 9th -13th, November, 2009 in Nairobi Kenya, it provided an opportunity for the six East African Suswatch Network participants to express commitment to the activities of East African Community agenda and to collectively implement the actions envisaged in the EAC Treaty and protocol as provided in their Communiqué’ on East African Community Integration. Read the full communiqué’ here>>>>>
UCSD News Bulletin October 2009 Monthly News Bulletin from the Secretariat of Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development (UCSD) Rio and beyond……
Statement from Kisum Declaration from the 2nd Annual Lake Victoria Basin Stakeholders Forum held at Tom Mboya Labour College, Kisumu Kenya, 27th-28th October, 2009: Read the full Declaration here>>>>>>
East African Sustainability Watch Network Presentation
East African Sustainability Watch Network Presentation to the 2nd Lake Victoria Basin Stakeholder’s Forum, Tom Mboya Labour College –Kiisumu (Kenya), October 27 – 28, 2009. Read the full presentation here>>>>>>
A Civil Society Reflection on the Housing situation in the Lake Victoria Basin
In view of this year’s World Habitat Day theme, the East African SusWatch Network commissioned a rapid assessment study in August 2009. This study was carried out to highlight the status of the housing situation in the fast growing / secondary towns in the Lake Victoria basin, aimed at reawakening political and other stakeholders’ interest to take actions to address the housing gap as an obligation (more so from a human rights perspective). Read the full information here>>>>>>.
World Habitat Day
The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day. The idea is to reflect on the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat. The United Nations chose the theme Planning our urban future to raise awareness of the need to improve urban planning to deal with new major challenges of the 21st century. Read more also on the World Habitat Day here>>>>>
Seal the Deal! is a powerful new campaign by the UN Campaign on Climate Change, to encourage Governments to agree on a fair, balanced and effective climate agreement when they meet in Copenhagen in December 2009. Appreciating the challenges most of our African countries experience accessing internet only a few East Africans have signed up to date!:,the UN has asked UCSD through the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) to facilitate sign up on the printed out petition forms in Uganda, that will be sent back to the UN for entry into the online system. Support Seal the deal! for your future and the world we leave for our children!
And remember “Climate change affects us all, but it does not affect us all equally. The poorest and most vulnerable – those who have done the least to contribute to global warming – are bearing the brunt of the impact.” - UN Secretary General - Ban Ki moon
This is an International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, 16 September 2009, Theme for 2009: "Universal participation: Ozone protection unifies the world"
This theme is intended to celebrate the fact that the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol are the most widely ratified multilateral environmental agreements to date
September 16 every year is observed as “World Ozone Day”. The celebration of this day is made to pay our homage to the Ozone layer, which saves our earth from the harmful ultra-voilet radiation of the Sun. The life on the Earth, depends on the energy provided by the Sun in the form of various radiations. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and governments around the world are preparing to celebrate two key milestones on the road to recovery for the world’s stratospheric ozone layer: the Montreal Protocol and the Vienna Convention.
Although levels of ozone depleting substances in the stratosphere now seem to be at or near their peak, the ozone layer will remain particularly vulnerable during the next decade or so. People must therefore be reminded to protect themselves and their children against the increased ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, which can cause skin cancer, cataracts and other illnesses. Ozone affects climate, and climate affects ozone. Temperature, humidity, winds, and the presence of other chemicals in the atmosphere influence ozone formation, and the presence of ozone, in turn, affects those atmospheric constituents.Read more about the Ozone day here>>>>>
Ecological sanitation – An option to managing human excreta in Kampala’s slums
By Charles Bamanya, UCSD
The increasing population density in the slums, inadequate space and the swampy nature of Kampala has necessitated the need for more ecological sanitation (ecosan) toilets as use of pit latrines and flush toilets alone cannot provide slum dwellers with a clean and hygienic environment. Ecological sanitation is an approach to human excreta disposal that aims at recycling nutrients back into the environment as a way of turning them in to more productive systems, provides an option for Kampala’s urban poor / slum areas. Read full article on Ecological sanitaion in Kampala's slums here
Climate change adaptation: Do Ugandan women have a role?
By Patience Nyangoma, UCSD
To date, Climate change is the single greatest environmental threat to life on earth. It not only impacts on our environment physically and economically, it also affects us socially and culturally. We need therefore to prioritize activities that respond to our urgent and immediate needs to adapt to climate change. Read more here>>>>>
Climate change adaptation: Do Ugandan women have a role?
By Patience Nyangoma, UCSD
To date, Climate change is the single greatest environmental threat to life on earth. It not only impacts on our environment physically and economically, it also affects us socially and culturally. We need therefore to prioritize activities that respond to our urgent and immediate needs to adapt to climate change. Read more here>>>>>
Opinion on President Jakaya M. Kikwete’s speech
Opinion on President Jakaya M. Kikwete’s speech to the First Meeting of the Third Session of the East African Legislative Assembly, August 7, 2009 in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).By Kimbowa Richard, UCSD / East African Sustainability Watch Network, Read the full opinion here>>>>>>
The way forward, for Uganda’s forest resources in view of the country’s economy.
By Charles Bamanya. UCSD.
Despite the key role forests play to the economy of the country, the country’s forest resources continue to be degraded at an alarming rate. A study undertaken by the National Forestry Authority in 2008 indicates that Uganda’s forest cover reduced by an area of 17%between 1990 and 2005. Read full article>>>>>>
International Day of the World's Indigenous People
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People ( this year will be observed at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday 10 August). The theme of the observance at UN Headquarters will be Indigenous peoples and HIV/AIDS. The goal of this day is to strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development. Read more here>>>>>>
Long term organisational sustainability is vital for the success of UCSD and its members. An important part of organisational sustainability to reduce the dependency of one source of funding hence, become less vulnerable and self-determining. Here are funding Opportunities & Organizations
UCSD News Bulletin June 2009 Monthly News Bulletin from the Secretariat of Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development (UCSD) Rio and beyond……
World Day to Combat Desertification 2009: Conserving land and water = Securing our common future.
The 2009 World Day to Combat Desertification that falls on Wednesday June 17 represents an opportunity to reinforce the message that desertification is not a fatality, that solutions exist, and that it can be effectively tackled through strengthened community participation and cooperation at all levels. Country Parties and civil society organizations are invited to organize events to mark the World Day to Combat Desertification to help raise awareness of the problem and to encourage as broad a public as possible to become actively involved in finding solutions.
The statistics speak for themselves: over 250 million people are directly affected by the degradation of the dryland environment, and one billion are at risk; over 110 countries have drylands that are potentially at risk; 70 per cent of drylands used for agriculture are already degraded. In addition, failing policies and climatic change are putting more pressure than ever on the soil. When secure water and food supplies cannot be guaranteed, people frequently migrate to areas where they believe they can find them. It is projected that for the period leading up to the year 2050 there will be 200 million environmentally induced migrants. Read more about here
Lake Victoria Wetlands Under Stress.
By Caroline Achieng, Lake Victoria Sunbirders (Kisumu)
Wetlands provide various socio-economic functions and values to the communities namely: being a home to endemic bird species which can only be found in the swamps along Lake Victoria (for example the Papyrus yellow warbler that is globally threatened, The Papyrus Gonolek, The Carruther’s Cisticola, and the Papyrus Canary). The also act as buffer zones for control of likely floods, as natural filters and as a breeding ground for fish. In addition, wetlands are water reservoirs, while providing income through established cottage industry and nature-based tourism. Read more about the challenges faced by Lake Victoria wetlands
National Consultative Meeting between Ugandan Civil Society Organizations and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC). Held on April 30, 2009 at Hotel Triangle - Kampala Uganda. Read the full report here>>>>
World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated on June 5 every year and has been celebrated since 1972. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. In case you had a planned activity towards the WED 2009 here is the planned theme and the venue for the event that will take place next month June 5, 2009 in Kayunga District. Read more about the program, theme amaong others.
Charts & Maps for Mapping a Better Future
A mapping project has brought together information about poverty and wetlands in Uganda, showing how different environmental policies can help bolster the economy in various parts of the country. The maps appear as part of a new report, Mapping a Better Future: How Spatial Analysis Can Benefit Wetlands and Reduce Poverty in Uganda, produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in collaboration with Uganda’s Wetlands Management Department, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, and the International Livestock Research Institute. Read more about the mapping project.
The United Nations proclaimed 22 May International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues and to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity.The theme for the International Day on Biological Diversity (IBD) in 2009 is invasive alien species (IAS). IAS constitute one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, and to the ecological and economic well-being of Earth and its inhabitants.
From 20-24 April, 2009, Indigenous representatives from the Arctic, North America, Asia, Pacific, Latin America, Africa, Caribbean and Russia met in Anchorage, Alaska for the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change. Read the full Declaration here>>>>>
Avoiding water scarcity: Conserve, Recycle and Protect water resources
By Grace Baalikowa, Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development
Water is essential for all socio-economic development and for maintaining healthy ecosystems. As population increases and development calls for increased allocations of groundwater and surface water for the domestic, agriculture and industrial sectors, the pressure on water resources intensifies, leading to tensions, conflicts among users, and excessive pressure on the environment. The increasing stress on freshwater resources brought about by ever rising demand and wasteful use, as well as by growing pollution worldwide, is of serious concern.Read more about Avoiding water scarcity>>>>>>>
