Authored by Brad Czerniak
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Wetlands are important for the role they play in society providing a range of ecological and socio-economic functions. Ecological and regulating services include erosion prevention, moderation of extremes, sediment traps, climate modification, soil formation, maintenance of water tables in surrounding lands and as centres of biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Socio-economic or provisioning services include food, medicines, water supply, fisheries, dry-season grazing for livestock, nutrient and toxin retention, tourism and so on. They are also important for aesthetic, recreational and spiritual reasons.

In 1995, Uganda made history as the second country worldwide, after Canada, to pass a wetlands policy. The National Policy for the Conservation and Management of Wetlands is based on five objectives which revolve around the principles of sustainability, improving wetlands productivity and diversity and good governance. Additional legislation enacted that strengthened this policy included the Environment Act of 1995, Land Act 1997, Local Government Act 1997, Environment Impact Assessment Regulations 1998, Wetland Regulations 2000 and the Constitution 2010. These, and many other laws, provide the legal framework that is designed to ensure the protection and wise use of wetlands.

The area under wetlands in the different river basins is on the decline. The extent of decline varies from over 53.8 percent in the Lake Victoria basin to 14.7 percent in the Lake Albert basin. Many of the reasons for this decline stem from weak enforcement of existing laws, continued disregard for the existing laws and policy, difficulty in enforcing laws and policy and lack of coordination amongst key government institutions.

The growing population is a major factor driving encroachment into wetlands for settlement, agriculture and for other resources. The recent census indicates that the population is growing at a rate of 3.2 percent each year and has almost tripled from 12.6 million in 1980 to 34.8 million in 2014. The country is rapidly urbanizing with the rate of urbanization at 6.6 percent in 2014. The high population creates high demand for land and enormous pressure on the natural resources for food, medicines, fuelwood, clay mining for bricks and other raw materials.

This plan discusses the specific problems in each major wetland district and provides recommendations for addressing wetland degradation.

Resource Type
Plan
Theme
Balancing Conservation and Development
Climate Change Impacts, Mitigation and Adaptation
Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Benefits
Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Management
Organization
Republic of Uganda
Geography
Uganda
Lake Albert
Lake Edward
Lake Victoria
Objectives

Lake Victoria Basin

  • Wetland boundaries need to be clearly demarcated so that even as water levels and wetlands vegetation coverage recedes, the communities are clear on where the boundaries lie.
  • Local Government Institutions actively manage the natural resources within their jurisdiction. This includes planning, management and enforcement, including stopping illegal activities. This may be best undertaken through community policing, which is an approach encouraged by the Wetlands Management Department.
  • All titles in wetlands on public land acquired unlawfully (after 1995) are cancelled. This is especially for land titles on the 200 meter lakeshore protection zone. This will create an opportunity to enforce this instruction and promote compliance through education and incentives so as to compel behavior change.
  • The Ministry in charge of fisheries needs to determine the optimum number of boats that can be supported by the current fish stocks and regulate them.

Lake Kyoga Basin

  • Operationalize and implement guidelines on the agricultural use of wetlands.
  • Undertake a study to critically assess the impacts of rice growing on wetlands in Uganda.
  • Research if wetlands are able to co-exist with irrigated agriculture, including assessments of human factors and the potential long-term effects of water storage schemes.

Lake Albert Basin

  • Commence diplomatic negotiations between Uganda and the DRC through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an expert technical committee to undertake a re-tracing exercise of the Uganda-DRC border and agree on the original border.
  • Locate and map cattle watering points to reduce the rampant, random and intensive cattle trampling on the fragile river banks.
  • Demarcate a zone of non-utilization along the riverbanks to allow vegetation to regenerate so as to stabilize the river banks and control erosion. Replanting of fast growing unpalatable species could be undertaken to hasten the process.

Lake Edward Basin

  • Increase political support to ensure wetlands are protected.

Albert Nile Basin

  • Implement community sensitization to wetlands as soon as possible as they are an important part of the wetlands boundary demarcation process.
  • Explore the use of natural boundaries to demarcate the Enyau river and other wetlands.
  • Establish an Environmental Protection Police Unit in Arua.

Achwa River Basin

  • Undertake wetlands inventory, assessment and valuation studies to determine the quantity of resources and contribution to national earnings. This has previously not been possible due to insecurity in the area.
  • Demarcate wetland boundaries so that these are clear to communities so as to counter the rate of encroachment.
  • Promote agro-forestry to improve tree cover in the area, supply fuelwood and improve the soil condition of the catchment.

Victoria Nile Basin

  • Serve Environment Improvement Notices to those land owners who have fenced off areas of the 100 meter protection zone on the riverbanks. These areas should be restored as soon as possible.
  • A management plan for the Kafu River ecosystem should be developed urgently as this river is the only reliable source of water for the community in the area.
Publication Date
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