Resources

Launched in 2006, the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI WACAF Project) is a cooperation between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and IPIECA, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues. It aims to assist 22 African countries in strengthening their capacity to prepare for and respond to marine oil spills. To achieve its objectives, the Project implements capacity building activities in collaboration with relevant national authorities and in partnership with local business units.

Rapid population growth and intensified human activities present increasing threats to the biological richness and natural resources in the Lake Tanganyika basin. The governments of the lake 's riparian countries Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia recognised these threats and collaborated to establish a sustainable development and management plan for the lake and its catchment basin. After an extensive research and consulting process, the Lake Tanganyika Regional Integrated Management Programme (LTRIMP) started its first implementation phase in 2008.

Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater body in the world. Over the last four decades, however, the lake has faced a number of environmental problems including pollution, biodiversity loss, habitat destruction and soil erosion. It is estimated that the lake 's indigenous fish species have been reduced by 80% and over 70% of the forest cover in the catchment area has been lost. In addition, the water quality in the rivers flowing into the lake continues to carry increasing amounts of silt and nutrients.

The Bird Population Monitoring scheme, coordinated by NatureUganda, works with local and regional partner organizations to build local and regional capacity for Bird Population Monitoring and engagement with local/regional policy forums. The scheme aims for long-term sustainability by engaging volunteer observers in simple and rewarding bird monitoring with clear objectives and conservation value, and with high quality support for participants (e.g., good training, educational materials and appropriate reporting of results and feedback).

NatureUganda's Important Bird Areas (IBAs) Programme works to ensure the survival of bird populations in Uganda using the concept of IBAs. IBAs are sites of global conservation importance identified using birds to locate key sites for conservation across the globe. They are practical tools for conservation. IBAs are identified using standard internationally agreed criteria, which are objective, quantitative and scientifically defensible. IBAs vary in size; however, they must be large enough to support self-sustaining populations of those species for which they are important.

The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) was specially formulated to stimulate the necessary reforms in the agriculture sector and bring agriculture toward the support of socio-economic growth and sustainable development. CAADP is Africa 's policy framework for agriculture and agriculture-led development. It is an integral part of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Creating welfare and jobs in rural areas is a development policy priority for Africa. Seventy percent of Africa 's rural populations derive their livelihoods from agriculture, and the number of young people living in rural areas is continuously growing and will continue to do so over the next decades.

Poor people depend on the environment for their livelihoods and well-being. Improved management of the environment and natural resources contributes directly to poverty reduction, more sustainable livelihoods and pro-poor growth. To fight poverty, promote security and preserve the ecosystems that poor people rely on for their livelihoods, pro-poor economic growth and environmental sustainability must be integrated into economic policies, planning systems and institutions.

The Mount Elgon Regional Ecosystem Conservation Programme (MERECP) is a programme of the East African Community whose oversight, coordination and supervision was delegated to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. It was designed by the IUCN through multi-stakeholder consultations, discussions and interaction with the East African Community Secretariat (EAC), governments of Kenya and Uganda through relevant national government agencies, local government/districts, user groups, NGOs, private sector, local communities, conservationists and researchers.