EnviroConserve Magazine, May -Jul, 2009

RICH NATIONS ASKED TO HONOUR CLIMATE CHANGE DEAL

ISSN 2071-2375

Vol. 7 No. 28

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EAST AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS CHALLENGED ON GREEN ENERGY 19

for our environment and sustainable development

May/July 2009

Ushs: 4500, Kshs: 250, TShs: 6000, Africa: USD15, Outside Africa: USD 30

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

World Urged to Unite to Combat Climate Change I SSN 2 0 7 1 - 2 3 7 5

PEOPLE ARE KEY IN FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE...20

KENYA ON THE SPOT OVER CLIMATE CHANGE...24

ALARMING DECLINE IN BIODIVERSITY...28

www.enviroconserve.org

9 772071 237005 >

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

Editor’s Note

Group Publisher Robert Opio

Vol. 7 No. 28 May - July 09

Editor David Andrew Matende Staff Writer Ronald Musoke

Time to curb global warming is now

T

he world celebrated World Environment Day on June 5, as it has become tradition. The East African states joined the rest in marking this day.

Significantly, the focus of the day was climate change. Needless to say, climate change and global warming are a real threat to the survival of humanity and life in general.

Correspondents Obadiah Ayoti - Nairobi Ben O’Nyasimi - Nairobi Guest Writers Mugambwa Everest Kizito - Kampala Sales & Marketing Manager Robert Oduori oduori@enviroconserve.org

The effects of climate change are being felt everywhere in the world, and East Africa has not been spared. In Uganda, for example, there is the increasing phenomenon of sudden, heavy rains that result in flooding. In Kenya, rains have become sporadic, leading to sustained droughts. Rivers, wetlands and even lakes are drying up. Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi are equally affected.

The environmental disasters caused by climate change lead to socio-economic changes such as poverty and food insecurity. Increase in temperatures is a threat to living organisms, which poses a threat to the tourism industry.

Fortunately, years of campaigns have increased awareness of the causes of global warming. Therefore everyone is in position to help mitigate its effects.

Increased industrial pollution; clearing of forests or marshes to make way for farms, settlements and factories are among the main causes.

Tree planting is one major way to regulate climate. Trees act as a natural sink for the excess greenhouse gases; they modify climate through evapo-transpiration.

The other major way to conserve nature is cleaner energy technologies. This saves forest resources from being depleted for wood fuel and charcoal.

Additionally, if we develop our urban centres in a proper way, manage wastes, protect water catchments and fragile ecosystems, we will minimize the effects of global warming.

We at EnviroConserve therefore urge all humanity to ponder the threats we face and do something if we must secure our future.

Enjoy reading this edition.

Advertising Executives Wafula Leonard Jane B. Wegesa Design & Layout Vincent A. Ooko Send articles for publication to the publisher EnviroConserve AFRICA P.O. Box 8585, Kampala, Uganda Tel: 256-41-268616/268738, Tel/Fax:256-41- 268997 E-mail: info@enviroconserve.org enviroconserve@gmail.com, ico@africamail.com www.enviroconserve.org Nairobi Office: P.O. Box 18660- 00100 Nairobi Tel: 254-20-2076903/+254-20-3505603 Fax: 254-20-2211500 0734-262734/0725-319664

Disclaimer EnviroConserve AFRICA, encourages stakeholders to submit articles for publication. The publisher reserves the right to edit all non sponsored articles before publication.

Neither the publisher nor any person acting on behalf of the publisher, may be held responsible for the use to which information (content) in this publication may be put. Non-commercial reproduction authorized subject to acknowledgement of source and must obtain written permission.

David A. Matende Editor EnviroConserve AFRICA is a publication of Effective Communication is the Bottom Line

Impulse Communication Options Ltd.

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Contents

RICH NATIONS ASKED TO HONOUR CLIMATE CHANGE DEAL

����� ISSN 2071-2375

Vol. 7 No. 28

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CONTENTS

EAST AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS CHALLENGED ON GREEN ENERGY

for our environment and sustainable development

19

COVER PICTURE: Effects of climate change

May/July 2009

Ushs: 4500, Kshs: 250, TShs: 6000, Africa: USD15, Outside Africa: USD 30

6-8 In Brief Protect water bodies, Kenya Government urged Nature Uganda marks 100 years DR Congo, Uganda in power deal Ethiopian farmers show way on global warming Kenyan Government must invest in biogas

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

World Urged to Unite to Combat Climate Change � ��� � � � � � � � � �

PEOPLE ARE KEY IN FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE...20

KENYA ON THE SPOT OVER CLIMATE CHANGE...24

ALARMING DECLINE IN BIODIVERSITY...28

www.enviroconserve.org

Regional Update 9 Information crucial in water use

� ������ ������ �

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Cover photo: A picture of a drying river due to the effect off climate change

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Bussiness & Environment 11 Hima Cement commits to plant more trees to counter effects of climate change 12 Bamburi Cement biofuel project 12 Shumuk committed to clean production

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13 Britania benefis from the Kaizen culture.

World Environment Day 14 World urged to unite to Combat Climate Change 16 Rich nations asked to honour Climate Change deal

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18 Butterfly farming, a model to community forests conservation 19 East African Governments challenged on green energy

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22 People are key in fight against Climate Change 24 Kenya on the spot over Climate Change 28 Alarming decline in biodiversity Energy 32 Oil Production in Uganda

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Company Profiles 34 MAKSS, the packaging experts 36 Sameer revives Uganda’s dairy industry 38 Ruparelia Group, a business leader in Uganda

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Inbreif

Protect water bodies, Kenya Government urged

By Ben onyasimi

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Non Governmental Organization, Mult y-Touch International (MTI) has challenged the government to formulate necessary policies to protect Kenya’s water bodies from deleterious economic practices that do not regard river bank protection.

The organization said should the government fail to act climate change and increased water demand in future will present a challenge to the countr y as it will lead to frequent conflicts.

MTI representative Daniel Muturi said there was an urgent need for relevant government institutions to enforce policies to protect Kenya’s water bodies among them lakes and rivers as a means of fighting extreme poverty especially in rural areas.

He said Kenya like many African countries was mourning the loss of many lives due to a number of factors like the deadly HIV virus, poverty, drought and malaria among other things.

These factors, he fur ther noted contributed to Kenya’s dreadfully low life expectancy rate of 47 years, one of the lowest in the world.

Speaking in Nairobi at a function where he distributed tree seedlings, Muturi observed that Kenya like most developing countries was experiencing serious depletion of its natural resources, leading to environmental degradation like pollution of rivers, water logging and salinity. This, he said has led to increment of water borne human and livestock diseases.

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He said concerted efforts were necessary for combating extreme indicators of past breakdown in policy formulations and implementations, leading to draught, hunger and eventual death of both humans and animals.

He said global communities have a collective responsibility in conserving and enhancing the environment at all costs, as it’s a requirement for the well being of all.

MTI boss further observed that in Kenya, where little of the country’s folks hydro- power potential has been developed, climate change simulations for the seven folks hydro-electric scheme on the Tana River has projected a significant reduction in the river flows and declining power production.

He said there was need for the government to work hand in hand with relevant stakeholders to slow-down siltation of sevenf o l k d a m s t h a t we re ve r y imperative for hydro- electric power generation in Kenya as well as the conservation of water aquifers.

He said MTI was currently designing projects that will bring about environmental rehabilitation and protection and at the same time empower communities and citizens through a multi-disciplinary approach to environmental conservation.

M u l t y - To u c h I n t e r n a t i o n a l (MTI) is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) registered in Nairobi, Kenya. Its foundation is geared towards assisting the Kenyan population to identify and utilize available natural resources and raising awareness of environmental conservation■

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

Nature Uganda marks 100 years

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ature Uganda, a branch of the East Africa National History Society (EANHS) in Uganda, recently celebrated 100 years of existence, making it the oldest conservation agency in the country.

Weaver bird at Ngamba Island Lake Victoria

The society was formed in 1909 by scientists, naturalists, professional hunters and other groups with interest in nature living in the then British East Africa (presently Kenya and Uganda) .Their main objective was documentation of wildlife diversity.

environmental education, action and management, among others.

Achilles Byaruhanga, the Executive Director, says although the agency has celebrated 100 years, the political instability of the 1970s and 1980s held back progress.

Today, Nature Uganda is a member-based organization that actively participates in the study of nature and implementation of conservation activities.

The organization delivers its conservation activities through advocacy for conservation, monitoring important sites,

He said a key achievement of the agency has been the identification of Important Bird Areas as key conservation areas in the country.

Nature Uganda has been and still is at the forefront of wetland conservation in the country with the number of Ramsar Sites increasing to 10 from two in 1989■

DR Congo, Uganda in power deal

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ganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo will soon share electricity following the endorsement of an energy exchange project by presidents Yoweri Museveni and Joseph Kabila in March.

The project seeks to improve the living conditions of the people, based on the availability of affordable electric energy and access by the communities to electricity through increased cross border trade.

The two leaders agreed, among other things to undertake joint oil exploration, extend power from Kasese to DR Congo towns of Beni, Butembo and Rubandi as well as to upgrade diplomatic missions to ambassadorial level.

At one of the sessions, the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) Executive Director, Ms. Henriette Ndombe gave an overview of NBI.

DRC President H.E. Joseph Kabila

She informed senior government officials of the two states that NBI has received about Ushs 6 billion for a wider regional Interconnection Project, from the African Development Bank (ADB).

The Interconnection of Electric Grids of Nile Equatorial Lakes Countries consists of the construction and upgrading of 769km of 220 KV power lines and 17 transformer stations to interconnect the electric grids of Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda■

Inbrief

Going green is the ultimate future Are you looking for green brands, eco-friendly technologies and services, including environment regulation and compliance authorities or you would like to showcase such services in the East African region?

Explore Ecoprofiles, the first ever online directory for environment friendly products and services.

Kampala Office: P.O. Box 8585, Kampala, Uganda Tel: 256-41-268616/268738, Tel/Fax:256-41- 268997 Mobile: 0752 651186 E-mail: info@ecoprofiles.org Nairobi Office: P.O. Box 18660- 00100 Nairobi Tel: 254-20-2076903/+254-20-3505603 Fax: 254-20-2211500 EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009 7 Mobile: 0734-262734/0725-319664

www.ecoprofiles.org

Inbrief

Ethiopian farmers show way on global Kenyan Government warming must invest in biogas

Biomas energy: a boy collects material for biomas production

By Correspondent Mesket Escarpment:one of the areas that can benefit from the farmers’ tree planting initiative

By Correspondent

A

n initiative started by a farmers’ group in Ethiopia has finally proved that planting trees can significantly reduce temperatures and combat global warming.

According to Ethiopia’s Daily Monitor, five years ago, the village of Anano, deep inside the East African Great Rift Valley was one of the hottest and driest places in Ethiopia. Droughts were frequent in the largely agricultural community and farmers ranked the harsh climate as the biggest challenge to production and productivity. But the village has since witnessed an unlikely turn of fortunes and perhaps proved that sometimes farmers can control the weather.

Part of a Farmers Research Group investigating the effect of agro forestry on temperature, the farmers in Anano have been planting trees on their homesteads with dramatic results.

Meska Deressa, a researcher at the Adami Tulu Agricultural Research Centre, part of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research says when the project was launched; the temperature in Anano was 32 degrees Celsius. Five years later, the temperature inside the

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

agroforestry area has dropped by nine degrees (23 degrees Celsius) and relative humidity has also improved – increasing by 40 per cent.

Altogether, more than 50 farmers from four districts in the East Shoa Zone of southern Ethiopia participated in the agroforestry project.

Now that the farmers have proven the power of trees to improve climate, there are plans to scale up the project in other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, a related study published in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences in 2007 shows that trees in certain regions play contrary roles in regulating the Earth’s temperature.

Dr Govindsamay Bala, a Physicist at Livermore National Laboratory in California, in the Atmospheric Science Division and the lead author of the study looked at the role of trees in the tropics and the temperate region and the boreal region and found that the trees in the tropical region have a cooling effect on the planet, and trees in boreal region have a warming effect. The trees in the temperate region have pretty close to no effect on the global climate, according to the research■

K

enyan researchers want the government to allocate more money towards exploitation of biogas.

The researchers say Kenya is among the world’s developing countries that have not adequately invested in physical and institutional infrastructure necessary for the exploitation of biogas energy due to lack of funds.

They note that there was need for the government to improve financing the energy sector to enable Kenyans especially the rural poor harvest biogas thus reduce poverty.

“The government provides the ideological umbrella under which priorities and development strategies are determined.

Policy incentives that are in place favour other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar but not biogas,” says Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) top researcher, E.M Kuruiro.

He says rural projects that deal with biogas were excluded, incapacitating rural people to fully exploit biogas as a source of energy.

He says research locally has not been holistic to ensure efficient use of natural resources, not withstanding the insufficient research being done in the science and technology institutions on bio-degradable resources or linking of research to social and economic development■

Regional Update

Information crucial in water use, says DWRM Director

By Ronald Musoke

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s e o f t h e wa t e r re s o u rc e s can improve with increased dissemination of information, according to the director of the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM), Engineer Shillingi Mugisha.

At a consultative workshop with media practitioners in April in Kampala, the media was asked to help pass no relevant information to the public.

The Directorate of Water Resources Management is responsible for managing Uganda’s water resources in an integrated and sustainable manner in order to secure and provide water of adequate quantity and quality for all social and economic needs for the present and future generation. The DWRM regulates water usage in the country and is also responsible for monitoring, assessment and information services; planning and regulation as well as provision of technical advice.

“The development of a comprehensive communication strategy to address these need us to come together and discuss issues related to water resources development and management in the country,” said the director.

“As you are all aware, water is life and provision of safe and adequate drinking water is a fundamental human right as enshrined in the constitution of Uganda.”

Engineer Mugisha added that in order to ensure that services are provided with increased efficiency and effectiveness, the water and sanitation sector has been undergoing reforms. Sub sector studies have been completed in four areas of urban water and sanitation; rural water and sanitation, water for production and water resources management.

He said inadequate and poor management of water resources has a cause and effect on poverty, adding that these two factors deny

A section of the River Nile, one of Uganda’s most important water resources

Ugandans, especially the poor; an adequate supply of clean water thus increasing disease burden, time and energy spent collecting water and general effort on the well being.

Current safe water coverage for Uganda’s rural and urban areas is said to be 63 and 68 per cent respectively according to Ms Florence Adongo, the Commissioner in the Department of Quality Water Resources Management (DQWRM) at the Directorate in Entebbe.

And although Uganda is said to have enough fresh water resources with recent United Nations estimates indicating 66 cubic kilometres of renewable water resources per year - which correspond to around 2,800 cubic metres per person each year, the current scenario is set to change in a few years because of several factors.

“The water resources are under threat from over exploitation and pollution. You therefore need to ensure that they are sustainably developed and protected from pollution so that they can be available for the present and

future generations,” Mugisha said.

Research shows that the country’s fresh water is increasingly being exploited because of population growth, urbanization, agriculture and industrialisation and with the advent of climatic change; water resources will soon be over stretched.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and UN Water, water use around the world has been growing at more than the rate twice of population increase in the last century. Water withdrawals are predicted to increase by 50 per cent by 2025 in developing countries according to the Global Environment Outlook.

Further estimates by the UN indicate that by 2025, about 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two thirds of the world population could be under stress conditions.

This calls for proper management of these resources because fresh water resources are classified as finite resources■ EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Regional Update

Africa’s poor threatened by foreign land acquisitions

By Obadiah Ayoti

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he poor will continue to be denied access to land, water and other resources as land acquisitions increase in Africa and other continents.

A recent study by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) at the request of UN Food and Agriculture Organization and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), paints a sorry picture. It warns that while such deals can bring many opportunities such as employment, investment in infrastructures and increases in agricultural productivity), they can also cause great harm if local people are excluded from decisions about allocating land and if their land rights are not protected.

T h e re p o r t h i g h l i g h t s a n u m b e r o f misconceptions about what have been termed as ‘land grabs.’ It found that landbased investment has been rising over the past five years. But while foreign investment

dominates, domestic investors are also playing a big role in land acquisitions.

Private sector deals are more common than government-to-government ones, though governments are using a range of tools to indirectly support private deals.

Concerns about food and energy security are key drivers, but other factors such as business opportunities, demand for agricultural commodities for industry and recipient country agency are also at play.

Although large-scale land claims remain a small proportion of suitable land in any one country, contrary to widespread perceptions there is very little “empty” land as most remaining suitable land is already under use or claim, often by local people.

The report found that many countries do not have sufficient mechanisms to protect local rights and take account of local interests, livelihoods and welfare. A lack of transparency and of checks and balances

in contract negotiations can promote deals that do not maximise the public interest. Insecure local land rights, inaccessible registration procedures, vaguely defined productive use requirements, legislative gaps and other factors too often undermine the position of local people.

Co-authors Sonja Vermeulen and Lorenzo Cotula of IIED caution that land acquisitions vary greatly and that blanket statements about land-grabbing are highly misleading.”

Alexander Mueller, Head of the Environment and Natural Resources Department at FAO stresses the need for foreign investment and large-scale land acquisitions in the context of global environment and food security challenges. “This new trend is a result of the recent food crisis and volatility of food prices, among other factors. The new challenges of global food insecurity and global investment should be addressed through appropriate regulations, and well-informed agricultural and food policies■

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Business & Environment

Keeping it Green Hima Cement commits to plant more trees to counter effects of climate change

By Our Reporter

Pupils of Hima Green Schools Project in Kamwenge tending their trees

The company recently launched a campaign under its Green Schools Project.

This project is under execution in 28 schools countrywide and the new campaign is expected to augment the 95,000 trees already planted.

The project that started two years ago aims at inculcating a culture of environmental care among school children by involving them, their teachers and school communities in tree planting and nurturing them.

Specific CO2 reduction ( tCO2/t Clinker)

20,000

0.14 0.12

15,000

0.10 0.08

10,000

0.06 0.04

5,000

0.02 -

2003

2004

2005

CO2 Reduction (tCO2)

climate change, as well as providing wider environmental and social economic benefits.

We further believe that inculcating this culture among school going children at a tender age and the community at large is a good step needed to make a difference globally.”

Schools are also motivated by construction of concrete water tanks of 10,000 litres to harvest rain water, construction of pit latrines, and provision of desks. This both improves the learning environment in schools and encourages commitment to the project.

Zalwango says the company has joined global efforts of CO2 reduction by implementing a project dubbed “ Bio Fuels Project” in which the company has so far planted over 600,000 tree species of high calorific value that will at maturity be shredded and added to the coffee and rice husks that the company is currently using in the alternative fuel substitution project.

“Last year Hima Cement was able to achieve up to 30.8 per cent substitution rate in burning our kiln with alternative fuels. This was an improvement from 27.9 percent in the previous year. With the Bio

25,000

0.16

2002

The Green Schools Project engages schools in planting and maintenance of 5000 trees provided by Hima Cement over a two to three year period. The trees once harvested benefit the school as a source of renewable energy.

Hima Cement’s marketing and communications coordinator, Cerinah Zalwango says, “We strongly believe that tree planting will make a valuable contribution to the fight against global

Carbon Emissions

0.18

CO2 reduction (tCO2)

T

hat Hima Cement is committed to environmental conservation is not in doubt. Through several initiatives aimed at mitigating the effects of global warming, the company is making a significant contribution.

2006

2007

2008

2009YTD

tCO2/ton clinker reduction

Fuels project, we shall be able to substitute fossil fuels in our production process by a much higher percentage and save the environment significant CO2 emissions,” she says.

The alternative fuels project also contributes to income generation for farmers and transporters of coffee and rice that supply the company with coffee and rice husks.

Under its quarry rehabilitation programme, the company is rehabilitating over 24 hectares of land that was previously mined.

To date over 40,000 trees have been planted in this area, attracting a number of Uganda Kobs from Queen Elizabeth National Park, and a variety of bird species from the Rwenzori ranges. Hima intends to create a mosaic of habitats that will appeal to a variety of species of flora and fauna, says, Dennis Kashero, the Commercial Manager Hima Cement■

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Business & Environment

Bamburi Cement biofuel project, create livelihood for communities Neighbouring communities are involved in the fuelwood plantations, through employment, or small business opportunities. livelihood for communities

Shumuk committed to clean production

S

humuk Aluminium Industries, the only aluminium rolling plant in Uganda understands that to ensure its survival and the survival of others, it must take care of the environment. And that is it is turning waste into high quality consumer products.

Indeed, the company is basically a secondary producer of aluminium that involves the recycling of disposed waste aluminium components.

Women working on Bamburi fuelwood project.

Livestock grazing within the project

amburi Cement factory is located 10 kilometres north of Mombasa town. Three limestone quarries are situated in close vicinity to the factory, with some relatively small mining reserve areas.

of local communities in the fuelwood production project.

B

Large limestone reserves are located in Vipingo and Diani. In Vipingo mining started in 2001, and the reserve is planned to last up to around 2050. In Diani mining has not started.

Much of the reserve land is surrounded by poor, subsistence farming communities, or in the urban areas, by very poor informal settlements. Securing the large areas of reserve land is a challenging task.

The need to secure the mining reserve land has been linked to Lafarge’s commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, and the increased interest for the use of alternative carbonneutral fuels.

This has opened new opportunities for sustainable utilization of Bamburi’s large reserve land to be used to produce carbonneutral fuel for the cement kilns, as well as close cooperation with and integration

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

The company’s efforts ensure that waste is turned into profits by recovering, recycling and re-using by-products and waste.

Besides the quarries around the cement factory, Bamburi holds considerable areas of limestone reserve land. These are areas to be quarried for limestone over the next 100 or more years.

Waste is reduced at each stage of the production process. Toxicity of all emissions and effluents are also reduced at the source during production. Raw materials, water and energy are conserved through improved process efficiency.

This land however is not supposed to remain idle during this time. In order to use it sustainably, tree plantations are being established to produce wood, which will be used in the cement kilns to substitute part of the fossil fuels with carbon-neutral wood fuel. In 2007, the first plantation was established and by 2013 the first wood harvest will be burnt in the kilns.

The company under its environment policy is happy to associate itself with World Environment Day and recognizes all treaties, declarations, ratifications, conventions and conferences that are in line with this day, particularly the Stockholm Convention and the World Conservation Strategy that link environment to development.

The fuelwood plantations are used as an opportunity to partner with local communities, an opportunity for integrated Corporate Social Responsibility.

Shumuk Aluminium Industries is committed to public health and safety of its staff as a big component of the environment.

It protects workers from occupational hazards.

Many people from the neighbouring poor subsitence-farming communities are involved in the fuelwood plantations, either through employment, or small business opportunities■

The company’s products include cooking pots (sauce pans), kettles, frying pans, trays (sanias), milking products, aluminium windows, doors and sections, bottled mineral water as the latest innovation■

Business & Environment

Juicing it up at Britania Industry’s Kaizen management approach puts it ahead of the pack in manufacture of juices and biscuits

By Ronald Musoke

B

ritania Allied Industries, the leading manufacturers of fresh fruit juice and confectioneries in Uganda is part of the Nairobi-based Manji Food Industries and Uganda Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The company’s market share is estimated at about 60 per cent in the biscuit sector in the region and up to 65 per cent in the juice and confectionery sector in Uganda. Britania has an annual turnover of about Ushs 90 billion.

From a few biscuit and juice brands, Britania has since expanded its product range to include more than 70 varieties of biscuits, confectionery, candy, gum, fruit juices, sauces (tomato and chilli), water, as well as plastics.

Kaizen management approach One of the secrets of Britania’s rapid expansion and success could be pegged to the Kaizen management approach. Kaizen, a Japanese management strategy invented after the second World War was adopted at Britania in August 2007 in an effort to address the challenges that the company was facing.

The Kaizen approach focuses on continuous improvement in all aspects of life. However, in business; Kaizen strives to continuously improve all the functions of a company from the CEO down to the assembly line workers.

This system uses the 5S’s (sorting, systematic arrangement, spic and span, standardization and self discipline) and it is aimed at house keeping, air free environment and reducing search time.

Britania has achieved a lot from the Kaizen culture. As far as social benefits are concerned, organizational discipline is top notch at the

company with tidiness, cleanliness, systematic arrangement, self development, time saving, good communication amongst staff, flexibility in the supply chain as well as high motivation and competition being some of the noted results.

Economic results have been registered in form of increased productivity, machine and product maintenance, value addition, proper use of time, cost reduction, waste elimination, reduced spillage, and efficiency.

Given the company’s nature of business, Britania recognizes the importance of operating in a clean and health environment. It is upon this knowledge that there are deliberate practices within the premises that ensure the company’s desired environment and health targets.

There is an initiative, for instance, of plastic recycling within the premise to avoid litter and environmental degradation.

Besides the fact that most of the company’s products are certified by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Britania was granted the internationally coveted ISO 9001:2000 quality certification in 2005.

In the last four years, Britania has continuously been awarded the President’s Gold Award for Export in the confectionery category by the Uganda Export Promotion Board.

The company was also given with the ‘Investor of the Year Award’ by the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) in the medium category for the year 2007. Britania also won gold in the ‘ANI MUKOOZI’; the people’s verdict in 2008.

Although Britania has made several inroads over the last decade, the company like any

other still has its unique challenges.

The ever growing market (both locally and internationally) and the need to sustain supply against demand is one of them. However, boosting the capacity for all sections of the production chain will help the company in the very near future to overcome these hurdles.

The other challenge has been noted to be the changing characteristic of the market’s consumption patterns and the double challenge for manufacturing companies to remain on the market. But the company has found this to be an advantage since more people are changing their attitudes and are now consuming more of processed juices.

There has also been the sprouting of fake/ counterfeit products and the leakage in the customs and standards bodies that does not allow easy detection of such products either being smuggled or manufactured locally. This is not to mention the competition from other industries who manufacture the same goods and the struggle over the same scope of market.

Over the last 12 years, Britania has made tremendous contribution to the country’s economy. It has provided employment to Ugandans .The company’s employment has increased over the last 12 years from 150 staff to the current 1560 staff. The latter figure actually surges to about 1700 when the fruit season is on.

Most importantly, however, has been the company’s contribution to the country’s treasury.

Britania Allied Industries is always listed among the best 100 tax payers in Uganda, says management■

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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World Environment Day

Marking World Environment Day “Your Country Needs you-Unite to Combat Climate Change”

By Mugambwa Everest Kizito

U

ganda joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Environment Day (WED) on June 5, 2009 under the theme “Your Planet Needs You-Unite to Combat Climate Change.”

The venue of the national celebrations was Nazigo LC Primary School, Nazigo Subcounty in Kayunga District.

It is not the first time that we celebrated WED under a climate change-related theme; the more reason we should take climate change more seriously.

In 1989, for instance, Uganda celebrated

WED under the theme “Global Warming”; “Climate Change” in 1991, “Protect Dry lands against Desertification” in 2006, “Global Warming Is Real: Green Your Environment, Plant More Trees” in 2007, “Save Energy For Better Livelihood” in 2008 and “Your Country Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change” this year.

Similarly, on September 27, 2008, World Tourism Day (WTD) was celebrated under the theme “Tourism responding to the Challenge of Climate Change and Global Warming” This is evidence enough that climate change and global warming are real. Currently climate change issues have become a hot topic worldwide.

Here in Uganda, from August to November 2007, the country suddenly experienced very heavy rains. These were locally christened ‘Teso floods’ as the Teso region in eastern Uganda was the most affected. ������������

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“We experess the earth’s expression” ����������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������������������������������������������

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Issues of Climate Change were also top on the agenda during the Commonwealth H e a d s o f Government M e e t i n g (CHOGM) hosted by Uganda in November

2007. The would-be political meeting turned out environmental when climate change dominated the discussions. A few days after, the United Nations members gathered in Bali, Indonesia to work towards a new global treaty on Climate Change.

During the meeting, the US and Canada teamed up to undermine the talks. However, in the final hours of the summit, Canada backed down completely and allowed Kyoto Contracting Parties to agree on strong 2020 targets on carbon emissions.

This paved the way for the summit to agree to sign a new global Climate Change treaty by 2009.

It is not by coincidence that climate change is highly regarded by the United Nations, Uganda inclusive, and recognized in a number of ways nowadays. This is because it is real and its effects are better off prevented than reacted to after they have been let to happen.

According to Prof. Steven G. Njuguna, Dean, School of Environmental Studies at Kenyatta University, Makalia Falls in Nakuru National Park completely dried up within a period of one year.

Now that we have drained all the wetlands, cleared our forests and turned all the river banks and lake shores into gardens and residential plots, such a situation is not very far away from Uganda.

Global warming is mainly as a result of both natural and human activities that produce greenhouse gases which accumulate in the atmosphere. These gases form a blanket-like layer which allows incoming short-wave light rays from the sun yet stops the long-wave heat rays from escaping back to space. This process leads to increased temperatures in the atmosphere; a process that has acquired Continued on page 35

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Climate Change effects: A flooded village in Bangladesh

Rich nations asked to honour Climate Change deal

By Ronald Musoke

A

bout 50 of the world’s least developed countries want rich nations to fulfill an eight-year old promise and pay US$2 billion (about Ushs 4 trillion) to help them adapt to climate change.

The demand was made at the UN climate change negotiations held in Bonn, Germany from April 5-8.

In 2001, rich countries promised the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) support for “immediate and urgent” actions on adaptation to climate change at the seventh conference of parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Marrakech, Morocco.

The UNFCCC then created the LDC Fund with voluntary contributions from the rich countries and gave each LDC US$200,000 to carry out a National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) to identify the most urgent adaptation actions needed.

According to the Global Environment Facility (GEF), National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) provide a process for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to identify priority activities that respond to their urgent and immediate needs to adapt to climate change –those for which further delay would increase

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

vulnerability and/or costs at a later stage.

So far 39 of the NAPAs have been completed.

The costs of implementing all the urgent and immediate adaptation actions identified in them would exceed US$1.6 billion, but the LDC Fund has less than US$200 million and only a handful of the identified projects have been funded.

“The LDCs are demanding that the rich countries pledge up to US$2 billion over the next five years in order to fulfil the promise they made eight years ago,” said Saleemul Huq, senior fellow in the Climate Change Group at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), a UK-based independent non profit research institute working in the field of sustainable development.

“The poorest and most vulnerable countries have contributed least to climate change and will suffer most from its impacts,” said Huq. “The rich countries can and must live up to their words and massively increase their funding to compensate the least developed countries.”

In 2001, LDCs began to develop National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) to identify their most urgent and immediate adaptation needs. Since then, 39 of them have gone through this rigorous process, but only a handful of the projects they identified have been

submitted for funding.

Amongst the world’s poorest nations, 48 are party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and have created or are working on NAPAs as a response to climate change impacts.

The value of the NAPAs already developed is that they respond to urgent and immediate adaptation needs, give priority to the most vulnerable communities, and seek to influence and facilitate wider institutional capacities on adaptation.

Twenty-four countries, including Uganda, have so far submitted such NAPA implementation projects to the GEF for funding from the Least Developed Countries Fund. The projects range from community-based risk reduction interventions through to national and local level capacity building initiatives and address climate challenges in coastal zones, disaster food security, water resource management, health and ecosystems.

Uganda’s concern is the increase in the frequency and intensity of climatic extremes, including monthly variation of rainfall amounts and seasonal variability. This combination has made it impossible for farmers to plan their annual cropping cycle. To mitigate these effects, improvement in the meteorological data has been noted to be imperative■

Tree Talk; Creating Opportunities for Climate Change Adaptation As the world worries about climate change, Straight Talk Foundation (STF) is implementing a model for tree growing in Uganda to reduce its impacts on the local population. It is a documented, cost effective and replicable model promoted through Tree Talk newspaper.

Launched in 2002, Tree Talk is an eco-newspaper on tree growing and environmental conservation. Tree Talk is posted to all schools in Uganda and CommunityBased Organisations (CBO). A sachet of seeds, usually for an indigenous tree, is enclosed in each bundle. A 2004 evaluation revealed that about 8000 tree nurseries were started by over 50% of schools using the information and seeds accompanying Tree Talk. This is about 1,000,000 trees planted throughout the country.

In 2006 Tree Talk added a woodlot scheme – Tree Talk Plus – with support from World Food Programme. The initiative established five new tree nurseries and enabled the planting of 644,000 trees in woodlots in over 400 primary schools across seven districts in northern and north-eastern Uganda between 2006 - 2007. At nine months, 60% of the new trees were alive. The cost per surviving tree was just $0.60 (about Sh.1200).

Why plant trees?

The current change in rainfall patterns, increasing temperatures, loss of species, decreasing lake levels, drying of springs and flooding in many parts of the country are resulting from the change in the global climate. This is linked to the reduction of vegetation cover. “The environment is changing rapidly and these changes directly impact our livelihood. For example, the changing rain patterns will result into serious problem of crop failure and hunger worldwide.” says Simon Amunau, Programme Manager, Tree Talk-WILD. The pressure exerted on protected areas also translates into loss of biodiversity and revenue to the government as a result of decline in tourism. All these and other factors point directly at the need to plant more trees.

Tree Talk will work with 540 schools and 80 community groups around Agoro-Agu forest in Kitgum, upper Murchison Falls National Park in Amuru, Zoka forest in Adjumani, Mt Otze forest and Difule wildlife reserve in Moyo.

The initiative is to help plant 2.5 million trees, raise awareness about values of protected areas, train over 1,000 school teachers and 800 community group members in active biodiversity conservation strategies as well as strengthening livelihood options among local communities.

Shea tree cut for charcoal

Tree Talk Nursery in Adjumani

Tree Talk staff loading seedling for distribution to schools in Kitgum

Cathy Watson (STF Executive Director) with Tree Talk staff

Tree Talk a partner of WILD Project In 2005, USAID funded a study which showed that destruction of water sheds, wetlands and water catchments was causing more harm. In 2007, STF started implementing a three-year programme called Wildlife, Landscapes and Development for Conservation (WILD) with funding from USAID. The objective is to reduce loss of biodiversity and promote socio-economic development of the local people.

Why plant indigenous trees, why use communities?

As a way of promoting conservation of biodiversity, the project encourages the growing of indigenous trees where local people are trained in the area of indigenous tree seed collection. In this past season alone, over 1000kgs of seeds were collected.

These seeds are later bought from the collectors as a way of empowering them economically. Some seeds are later given to the groups to start nurseries.

An interview with the Tree Talk management reveals that the main threat to biodiversity and environmental management is negative human actions. In the attempt to restore the environment, the same people should be involved. By creating awareness, Tree Talk - WILD works with the affected people to identify corrective mechanisms and participate in the restoration programmes. In most of these programmes, people suggest solutions to their unique environmental challenges. They are then given support in form of farm implements, training; and identifying environmental priorities.

Way forward Tree Talk believes that the problems facing natural resources and biodiversity are quite many and widespread in comparison to the context being implemented by Tree Talk and WILD. The project, for instance, is operating in four districts and localized areas within those districts. But the environmental problems are much more widespread around the country.

Tree Talk would like to extend its operation to the rest of the country. This can only be possible with your support. We welcome your support. For more information on supporting or joining in Uganda’s most extensive tree-planting effort, contact Simon Peter Amunau, Programme Manager Tree Talk - WILD, at spamunau@straighttalkuganda.org or call: 0312-262030/1

Tree Talk project site in Kitgum District

Contact: Straight Talk Foundation Plot 4, Acacia Ave, Kololo, P.O. Box 22366, Kampala,Tel: 0312- 262030/1, Fax: 0414-534858 E-mail:spamunau@straighttalkuganda.org/strtalk@imul.com, Website: www.straight-talk.or.ug EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Regional Update

Kenyan Farmers make money from butterflies

By Obadiah Ayoti

B

utter fly farming in Kenya is beginning to earn farmers money, with over Kshs 8.1million being collected every year.

Kenya Forest Service (KFS) says although butterfly farming was launched to conserve forests, it has turned out to be a money minting venture for the communities around the forests.

The butterfly farming project based at Arabuko-Sokoke forests has earned its members income which is mostly determined by the butterflies’ pupae they collect.

The pupae have for the last four years been exported to over 14 markets within the United States and United Kingdom.

According to KFS, the project was one of the success stories of nature-based enterprises which has increased its revenue base, boosted stakeholder participation and improved community livelihood.

Following the success of the project, other regions such as Malindi have expressed

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

Kenyan farmers are earning big from butterflies

interest to replicate it to reap the benefits.

Plans are also at advanced stages to launch silk worm farming in Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Embu and Murang’a while Kilifi District is willing to initiate prawn and crab farming.

Speaking during the launch of the annual report in Nairobi, Kenya’s Forestry and Wildlife minister Dr Noah Wekesa hailed nature-based enterprises saying they have boosted forest conservation efforts.

“The formation of forest conservancies and the appointment of forest conservancy committees are major milestones in the forest sector reforms,” said Dr Wekesa.

He decried the high rate of forest degradation in the country warning that it was a recipe for effects of climate change such as floods, droughts and diseases.

“In the past forest management has been riddled with destruction resulting in reduction of national forest cover to below internationally accepted standards .Some of the forests have lost their ecological functions of water catchments, biodiversity conservation and amelioration of climatic

conditions,” added the minister.

To conserve forests, the Kenyan government has taken advantage of its ‘Kazi Kwa Vijana’ (Youths for Jobs) programme to implement various environmental projects.

“My ministry will support KFS to take full advantage of this programme to ensure rehabilitation and reforestation of degraded forests countrywide and at the same time engaging over 100, 000 youth in forestry based activities for the next six months,” noted Dr Wekesa.

Speaking at the same function, KFS Chairman Prof Eric Koech said they have embraced a partnership with the communities living around the forests in order to achieve their goals.

“Indeed the Forest Act 2005 recognizes and allows the public and especially forest adjacent communities to participate in the management of forests. This is unlike in the past where communities were alienated creating a rift between them and the forest managers,” said Prof■

World Environment Day

East African Governments challenged on green energy

By Ben O’Nyasimi

three commodities had skyrocketed at the global, regional and local levels, bringing devastating social and economic consequences, Ngokonyo regretted that the affordability of food, water and energy has been severely hampered, leading to a short supply of these products.

E

ngineers from East Africa want their governments to promote sustainable and renewable energy in the region.

The experts who attended a three day Institution of Engineers conference at the Kenya International Conference on food, water and energy security in Nairobi agreed to promote sustainable energy by making all sources of energy accessible, available and acceptable without harming the environment.

He said if these services were made available to the people, they would reduce poverty, hunger, improve health and boost

literacy levels among the populations.

Acceptability of energy, Ngokonyo said covers various issues among them deforestation, land degradation, soil and water acidification, indoor or local pollution, green house gas emissions, climate change, nuclear safety, waste management and a possible negative impact of building of large dams or large –scale modern biomass developments■

The engineers argued that energy must be affordable and sustainable to the low income earners. Prices which reflect the real cost of energy productio n, transmission and distribution to support the financial ability of companies to maintain and develop their energy services should be put in place.

Papers presented emphasized the need for both long and short term continuity of energy supply saying electricity shortage disrupted economic development.

This, they said implies the right energy source combination that relies on well-diversified selection of domestic, imported or regionally traded fuels and sources of energy.

ICOL Graphics 09

The Conference that was attended by engineers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, Netherlands and Nigeria was told that people needed energy services for lighting, studying and processing food. According to the Institution of Engineers of Kenya Chairman Eng. Francis Ngokonyo, provision of food, water and energy services was a necessary precondition for survival of mankind.

Noting that the prices of the

SBI International Holdings AG (Uganda) whose parent company is based in Switzerland and has got sister companies in Nigeria, Ghana Kenya, Benin, Europe and South America, is committed to the vision of embracing codes of responsibility to society and to commit to the creation of a worldwide advanced and sustainable living environment for generations to come.

SBI International Holdings AG (Uganda) along with her sister company Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) is a key player in Uganda’s roads infrastructural development. The projects executed

by SBI with her sister company RCC so far include; Nebbi-Arua, Karuma-Olwiyo, Kagamba-Rukungiri, Katunguru-Kikorongo and Equator roads, Hima-Kikorongo, Kasese-Kilembe roads and the current projects include; Jinja-Bugiri, Kabale-Kisoro, Kampala-Masaka and Masaka-Mbarara respectively.

SBI values quality, time management and respect for environment as our entire project activities have been approved by NEMA. We are therefore proud to join NEMA and the World Community in celebrating this year’s World Environment Day.

SBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS AG (UGANDA) Head Office: Plot 2 Muwesi Road, Kampala P.O. Box 11713 Tel: 0312-500500-10 Fax: 0414-234362 Email: sbi@sbi.co.ug

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Business & Environment

Uganda Electricity Generation Company Energy Generation Status

Uganda highly relies on hydro-power electricity is generated at two power Stations; Nalubaale and Kiira Power Stations, with installed capacities of 180 and 200 MW respectively. Recent short term interventions by the Government have included contructing thermal power generation plants, but these come with high tariffs and have proved costly to the economy. Other potential energy sources include solar power, wind energy, geothermal power, co-generation facilities, mini-hydropower plants, but these are currently meagre or largely undeveloped to cater for the country’s industrial and rural transformation targets.

To meet Uganda’s electricity supply needs, the Ministry identified short, medium and long term measures in 2006, including

There are also co-generation facilities at SCOUL (3MW), Kinyara (5MW) and Kakira (12MW) connected to the National Grid.

The Kinyara co-generation plant will be connected to the national grid in 2009 to sell (5MW), 18MW is proposed by 2011 and 40MW by 2012.

From oil discovered in the Lake Albert Basin energy can be generated from the crude oil, Heavy Fuel Oil and Gas and connected to the National Grid at Nkenda in 2010.

For renewable energy sources, ESA Solar Plant intends to develop a 100MW plant at Namugoga in Wakiso District and is expected on line in 2011. Feasibility and EIA studies have already been undertaken (source: ERA, 2009).

Intercropping: millet grown in pine plantation at early stages

short term measures such as improvement of efficiency of electricity utilisation and acquisition of emergency thermal power generation capacity. The medium term measures included development of Bujagali (250MW) and Karuma Hydropower Projects (under feasibility study for higher output), and various renewable energy projects.

Between Lake Victoria and Lake Albert, the hydropower potential due to a head of 515m is estimated at 4500/900 MW (base/ peak). Only a section of 100km head of the Victoria Nile is utilised by Nalubaale, Kiira and Bujagali Hydropower stations (Bujagali under construction).

The Mini-hydro plants developed so far include Mobuku-1 (5MW) and Mobuku-3 (10.5MW) Other mini-hydro schemes under construction include Bugoye (13.0MW), Mpanga (18MW), and Buseruka by Hydromax on Wambabya river (9MW).

The country also heavily relies on thermal power to supply the national grid, including 50MW at Kiira (Jinja) by Aggreko, 50MW from and HFO at Namanve by Jacobsen, and 50MW

by Aggreko at Mutundwe.

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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of the Kiira HPP under the Power III and Power IV projects (the Owen Falls Extension Project). This was particularly necessary to bridge the demand and supply gap before construction of other large hydropower plants. Throughout these works annual environmental inspections, water quality and limnological monitoring, were undertaken.

Weed removal was enhanced by hire of a contractor by ESKOM. An HIV /AIDS program was implemented by the contractor.

An Environmental Audit was carried out and recommendations implemented by the contractor. To compensate for trees cleared during construction of the canal under the Power III project, UEGCL agreed to initiate an environmental restoration project as an offset.

Pine trees plantation with the Lake Victoria in background

The Uganda Electricity Generation Company Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) is a limited liability company incorporated in March 2001 as a result of a Government implemented Power Sector Reform and Privatization Policy, which resulted in the separation of Uganda Electricity Board, (UEB) into Generation -UEGCL, Transmission – UETCL, and Distribution – UEDCL, successor companies.

The operation of the Nalubaale and Kiira HPP were concessioned to ESKOM Uganda Ltd, and UEGCL retains the functional areas summarized as follows; • Management of the assets constituting the power plants concession to Eskom Uganda Ltd for 20 years effective April 2003.

• Monitoring utilization of the concessioned facilities to ensure quality and reliable power generation.

Power III and IV projects

One of the landmark achievements of UEGCL has been upgrade of the power generation capacity at Nalubaale and construction

UEGCL Environmental Compliance

UEGCL is committed to complying with national and international environmental and social safeguard requirements for hydropower development projects and operations of HPP plants. The plant operators in addition to local requirements have to comply with international standards.

Cases of compliance include implementation of requirements of the River Banks use permit issued to UEGCL by NEMA. Other practices include elimination of oil circuit breakers. All switches are PCB free, and SF6 gas used.

UEGCL undertakes Environmental Audits to ensure compliance with environmental laws, regulations and standards. UEGCL ensures mitigation measures proposed are implemented by the operator.

For water discharges at the HPPs, UEGCL is issued permits by DWD. The discharges conform to the agreed curve – the modeled river natural flow without a dam. Lake Water levels are monitored at the Nile Pier.

The Power III project Offset

As agreed during the construction of the canal under the Power III Project, UEGCL

Ltd’s Environmental Credentials is implementing a tree planting project at Bugungu along the shores of Lake Victoria.

The initiative is to plant trees in order to compensate for what was lost during canal construction for the extension of the Owen Falls power output. The leased land is in Kyagwe Block 329 Plot 4 Nyenga Subcounty, Busebera Buikwe, Bugungu.

Project Objective

“To compensate for the trees and vegetation cleared around the canal during the implementation of the Owen Falls Extension Project”.

The project aims to achieve this objective with community participation. The bare shores of Lake Victoria have been particularly targeted.

gloves, and construction of access roads. The initial target for the out growers was to have 100 members each with at least 10 acres.

This would make a total of 1000 acres.

So far, EACTPIA members have planted 150 acres of Pine, Musizi and Eucalyptus in their sites, but this is way short of their target of 1000 acres for 100 members recruited.

An increase of 4% of the planted area by the out- growers has been registered since June 2008. ECATPIA intends to diversify from the three tree species to fruit trees such as oranges, mangoes and jackfruits as a strategy to attract more membership and income. ECATPIA, the UEGCL agent, will also promote tree planning in the adjacent districts of Jinja, Kayunga, Kamuli and Iganga, all important Nile River Catchment areas.

Community planting group

Implementation mechanism

UEGCL identified 100 acres which was leased from a private developer at Bugungu.

To date, 50 acres of pine, 20 acres Eucalyptus and 20 acres of Musizi have been planted. The 100 acres will only serve as a demonstration site, then the focus will be on out growers. UEGCL does not intend to harvest any of these trees, though now looking good for poles at 6 years.

The success of this tree planting project is attributed to interface with the local community. At the early stage intercropping is promoted, with crops such as beans, maize planted by the local community who ensure weeds are kept out. The project has identified interested community groups such as women, youths and farmers.

UEGCL has also identified a partner, ECATPIA – Environmental Conservation, Agriculture and Tree Planting Initiative Association.

ECATPIA is an out growers association with a current membership of 25 who are mostly around the catchment areas of Lake Victoria, which receives support from UEGCL in terms of seedlings, water harvesting, technical support on tree planting, provision of first aid kits and safety gear including gum boots and

Scaling up this project is therefore a great priority to UEGCL.

Enhancing project benefits

A lot is yet to be covered in terms of afforestation of the Nile Riparian districts.

UEGCL effort should trigger off community tree planting among locals. UEGCL has identified partners at District Level and from Civil Society who can mobilize and technically support this drive. UEGCL will seek to engage the EU funded Saw Log Production Scheme (SPGS), the Forestry Inspection Division (FID), the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and NGOs for provision of technical and financial support to enhance this initiative

Musizi trees

UEGCL also appreciates support received from the Mukono District Local Government.

The District Forest Officer has been instrumental in capacity building and extension services, particularly for tree maintenance.

Benefits of the afforestation project

The benefits of this afforestation project have included protection of the lake shores and the Nile River banks from erosion, increased community awareness of conservation values and participation in River Nile catchment and lake shore conservation. For the local community, employment opportunities have been available, as well as fuel wood and additional incomes from tree growing on their plots.

UEGCL has also built capacity of the local community through their out grower scheme. Training precedes free tree seedling distribution to land owners. The scale up of seedling distribution depends on previous success i.e. actual trees planted and surviving.

and the benefits of the Nile River Banks and catchment afforestation.

Similar projects

Bujagali Energy Ltd (BEL), the developer of the Bujagali Hydropower Project, acquired a river bank permit from NEMA and has so far planted up to 244 ha in the 100m buffer zone. BEL has also started a community afforestation project The Kalagala Offset study by IUCN is set to trigger off updates of management plans of Forests and other sensitive ecosystems in the Nile catchment, covering Jinja, Mukono and Kayunga Districts.

There is also an ongoing DFID project that targets tree planting by local communities in the catchment districts.

The LVEMP II funding has been approved and also targets catchment afforestation in the Lake Basin.

UEGCL will seek to have synergies with such initiatives to ensure sustainable hydropower The longer term benefit comes in form of a generation on the Nile, and in an effort to sink for emissions. Jinja is one of Ugandas contribute to the fight against impacts of industrialized towns and with over 1000 climate change.

May/July 2009 21 acres planted, this is a significant contribution. EnviroConserveAFRICA

World Environment Day

People are key in fight against Climate Change, say scientists

By Ben O’nyasimi

T

here is need to use clean fuels, plant more trees and explore carbon trading to mitigate the effects of climate change that Kenya is currently going through but all these will work best if people participate in all these initiatives. According to experts, policy makers should work hand in hand with citizens to support and enhance reforestation programmes in order to increase the forest cover and hence natural carbon sinks.

Researchers and scientists from Kenya’s top research institutions say the country has just about three percent forest cover, way below the internationally recommended minimum forest cover of 10 percent needed to provide the necessary forest and ecological services as well as natural carbon sinks.

The researchers among them Dr. Chris Gakaho (United Nations Development Programme), Dr. S. Marigi ( Kenya Meteorological Department), Dr. A Esilaba (Kenya Agricultural Research Institute ) and Kenya Forest Service Director D.K Mbugua say tree planting is vital as it increases the forest cover and mitigates against climate change while safeguarding the environment.

The researchers say that use of clean fuels will improve combustion efficiency thus significantly reducing emissions of green house gasses. Gakaho points out that transport and industrial sectors should embrace sound technologies in their production processes. This will not only reduce air pollution but also minimize emissions thus reducing global warming.

It is in the view of experts that Kenya is endowed with several options of alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. Therefore, the country has no option but to embrace the use of alternative renewable energy.

The researchers however blame lack of

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

A section of a drying wetland

information, inadequate funding, lack of technology of mitigating climate change effects, poor planning and poor coordination of programmes, initiatives and activities geared towards environmental conservation as the major setback to mitigation of climate change.

They say most African countries among them Kenya have not benefited much from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, lamenting that such programmes are handled in a skewed manner. A secretary in the ministry of environment and mineral resources, Dr. Alice Kaudia says all is not lost in the fight against climate change. Kaudia says the government has come up with a robust programme aimed at coordinating all activities and efforts from various stakeholders to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The programme dubbed ‘Environmental Programme Support,’ will promote awareness and advocacy campaigns on poverty –environment linkages, provided by selected civil societies and Community Based Organizations (CBOS) to support environmental policy formulation and development.

Even as the experts raised the red flag on the need for Kenyans to initiate

various programmes and strategies that will mitigate the effects of climate change, many communities in the country are facing various challenges associated with the phenomenon. Already, pastoral communities are fighting over water and pasture.

In Nyeri North District, the venue of this year’s World Environment Day celebrations, there has been human-wildlife conflict that is as a result of people encroaching into elephant migratory routes mainly through cultivation and settlement. Population pressure and resultant unsustainable natural resources utilization have led to the exploitation of the Aberdare and Mt. Kenya forests. Consequently, river flow and volumes have declined drastically.

Moreover, about 92 percent of glacier on Mt. Kenya has melted in the last hundred years.

Malaria outbreaks are now becoming frequent in places that were previously malaria free zones. There was a deadly malaria outbreak in 1997 and 1998 following the El Niño rains during which hundreds of people were affected and died. The experts were speaking in Nairobi during a public forum on climate change dubbed ‘What You and I can Do to Tackle it’ ahead of this year’s World Environment Day■

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► EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

23

World Environment Day

Kenya on the spot over Climate Change

Policy makers and inadequate funding blamed for failing environmental conservation efforts

By Special correspondent

A

s t h e wo r l d m a r k s Wo r l d Environment Day, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has warned that Kenya is ill-equipped to mitigate the effects of climate change.

UNEP’s Climate Change Adaptation Unit says despite the fact that the effects of climate change such as floods, droughts and diseases are evident in Kenya, the country lacks the capacity to address the environmental disasters. A Programme Officer at the Unit Dr Musonda Mumba blames the country for not giving environmental issues the seriousness they deserve. Dr Mumba accuses the government of not even applying for funds

from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to fight climate change as other countries in the world are doing.

“Despite the fact that the West have met their targets by providing funds to assist developing countries adapt to climate change, some of them such as Kenya are not utilizing the Global Environment Facility kitty,” Dr Mumba told EnvironConserve AFRICA .

At the same time, she lashed out at the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) for its closed door policy which locks out public participation hence hampering environmental conservation efforts.

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

“NEMA must embrace an open policy to bring all stakeholders on board if environmental conser vation programmes are to succeed.

There is need to package science in a simple and accessible manner to avoid a situation where it looks like an elitist business,” notes the Programme Officer.

According to Dr Mumba, the problem with Kenya was not lack of awareness

on climate change but lack of direction from the relevant authorities.

“Most Kenyans are aware about the effects of climate change but are overwhelmed on what actions to take because the government is not offering direction. The country still has a traditional mentality that climate change belongs to a certain ministry or department without taking into cognizance that it is a cross-cutting issue which calls for concerted efforts,” added the UNEP official.

To effectively fight climate change, the UNEP official challenged Kenyans to pile pressure on their Members of Parliament to come up with prerequisite laws since it is a new phenomenon in the developing world without adequate legislations to address it.

She also proposed that climate change be incorporated in the school curriculum to inculcate the culture of environmental conservation in the youth. NEMA Director General Dr Muusya Mwinzi admitted that there was no adequate planning and funding at the policy level to tackle climate change.

“We acknowledge that it took us sometime to appreciate the enormity of climate change.

This lack of adequate planning coupled with lack of funds has been our major undoing in environmental conservation efforts,” said the Director General.

However, Dr Mwinzi expressed optimism that measures have been put in place to adapt to climate change to match with other nations in the world. “We have now put our act together to avert further environmental disasters. Our focus is on adaptation and not mitigation because we do not have many industries that pollute the environment. We want to fully embrace Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM) if we have to win this fight,” added the Director General■

Business & Environment

Nebbi District State of Environment Report (2008) Nebbi District is located in North-western Uganda between latitude 2o 30’ and 2o 45’ north of the Equator and 30o 45’ and longitude 31o 10’ east of the Prime Meridian. Arua District borders it to the North, Amuru District to the East, Masindi District to the South-East and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the West and South West. The district covers a total area of 3,288 sq km which is 1.2 per cent of the total national area.

Plantation Development Plan. There are also small community forests under sub-county management such as Atyak in Atyak sub-country and Muraro in Paidha sub-county.

The district has a moderately suitable climate and fertile soils which enhances agricultural production. Notably about 90 per

Nebbi District is also well endowed with wetlands as a natural resource. These wetlands are sub-divided into permanent (32.7sq km), papyrus swamps (27.7 sq km), reed swamp (40 sq km); and seasonal wetlands (78.6 sq km). They are found in the following areas; along Namrwodho in Erussi/Nebbi subcounties, Nyagak in Jang-okoro/Nyapea, Ora in Zeu/Wadelai, Agulu and Amuda in Zeu, Adida in Jang-okoro/Zeu, L. Albert Drainage Basin in Panyimur, and Nile Basin from Panyimur via Pakwach to Wadelai, (Ayila, Wang-nyang, Owere, Oseke, Lobodegi, Dei, Kayonga, Wangkado, and Kopio etc).

These wetlands provide both direct and indirect benefits to the communities. The direct benefits include; the policy that 25 per cent (of wetlands) can be used for activities like crop production, papyrus, and reeds, herbs, foods and fruits harvest. The indirect benefits include; climate modification due to its functions of ground water recharge and surface water retention, flood control that reduce spread of water born diseases, landscape and aesthetic values that attract the tourism industry.

Part of Anuda wetland in Zeu Sub-county

Degraded soil in Alwi Parish-Panyango

Current State of Environment Fresh Water Resources Nebbi District is endowed with the River Nile, Lake Albert, which are a habitat to a variety of fish species. Other water sources include rivers like Nyagak, Ora, Nyarwodho, Nyacara, Nyibola; streams, and springs that are mainly found in Okoro County.

Agriculture

cent of the population depends on agriculture. The district has the potential for commercial agriculture with focus on the following crops; coffee, tea, cotton, rice; tubers (cassava, irish & sweet potatoes); cereals (sorghum, millet, maize, rice); oil seeds (simsim, sunflower, soya beans, sheer butter and cashew nuts); vegetables (okra, tomatoes, cabbages, onions, green grains), fruits (pineapples, citrus, mangoes and spices (vanilla and chilies).

Forest Resources and Wetlands Other natural resources include forests and wetlands. Forests comprise both natural ones and artificial plantations which boost the local economy. The total gazetted forest area in the district is 8125 ha of which 7987 ha are Central Forest Reserves controlled and managed by the National Forestry Authority.

Central Forest Reserves include: Lendu plantation in Zeu subcounty, Awang plantation in Kango sub-county, Osi plantation in Atyak sub-county, Kayonga plantation in Panyimur sub-county, East and West Uru woodlands in Atyak sub-county, Alwi, Oming and Opio woodlands in Panyango sub-county, Omier woodlands in Nebbi/Paidha sub-counties, Wadelai woodlands in Wadelai sub-county and Abiba woodlands in Nebbi sub-county.

The rest are Local Forest Reserves controlled and managed by the District Forestry Services. These include: Acwera in Kucwiny sub-county, Erussi in Erussi sub-county, Pakwach in Pakwach sub-county, and Ragem in Wadelai sub-county which are on a

Eco-Tourism Nebbi District has close proximity to Murchison Falls Conservation Area as well as cultural and historical sites like Wang-lei in Pakwach (where the great Alur ancestors Nyipir and Nyabongo separated); Fort Emin Pasha in Wadelai sub-county and Amuru pii (hot spring) in Panyamur sub county.

Key Environmental Problems in Nebbi District • Soil Degradation as evidenced through massive soil erosion around the district • Uncontrolled Tree Cutting/Deforestation • Wetlands/River Bank Encroachment and Degradation • Uncontrolled Bush Burning • Poor Solid Waste Management • Over Fishing

Strategies in Place and Achievements made Nebbi District Local Government has so far made the following strategic achievements; • Mainstreaming of environmental issues into the district and sub-county development plans and it periodically produces District State of Environment Reports.

• Environmental Education and Awareness through radio programmes, sensitization meetings and trainings, establishment of the District Environmental Information

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Centre and Celebration of National and International days such as World Environment Day. Establishment of ecosystem management committees for the vital rivers especially those that feed into the Nile and with development projects such as Nyagak, Namrwodho and Ora Rivers. (Namrwodho river supplies Nebbi Town Council with piped water; Nyagak river is where the Hydro Electricity Power dam is being constructed to supply power to the West Nile sub-region; while the River Nile supplies Pakwach Town Council with piped water).

Demarcation of no encroachment zones through tree planting for river banks of Namrwodho and Nyagak funded

by Nebbi District Local Government, NEMA and NBI. Rehabilitation of Namrwodho Community Forest through tree planting and Nursery establishment in Namrwodho managed by Kubi Community Environmental Care Project which is a working group for the project and other community working groups (civil society organizations) which are restoring other rivers and hills from degradation.

Established community woodlands for environmental protection and are managed by groups such as Alwi Women Group

Nursery established for river Nyagak area 2007 funded by NBI

• Establishment of woodlots in institutions like primary and secondary schools • All Boarding Secondary Schools benefited from Twin Energy Saving Cook-stoves and wood lots funded by Nebbi District Local Government under the Equalization Grant • Demonstration of Energy Saving Cook-stoves at household level for replication in the 16 sub-counties • Four Micro-projects undertaking river bank restoration by demarcation on No-encroachment Zones through tree planting and Agro-forestry in fragile areas such as river banks and hilly areas. These include Namrwodho River Bank Restoration Project, Maber Group Farm, Community Growth Establishment Agro forestry and ARUDA funded by NEMA, NBI and Nebbi District Local Government.

• Solid Waste Management initiatives by the town councils such as gazettement of landfills/dump sites and provision of garbage skips and bins.

• The district is already formulating an ordinance on Production, Environment and Natural Resources issues. The document is in the process of drafting • The district has a functional District Environment Committee • Compliance monitoring and inspection of development projects, the fragile ecosystems, and micro-projects • The District has established District Environment NGO Forum which is functional.

For more information contact: Ms. Fauling Doreen, District Environment Officer, P.O. Box 1 Nebbi, Tel: 0782-878098, Email: dfualing@yahoo.com EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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Uganda National Roads Authority Integrates Within the EMS and LAMS framework, the Environmental Specialist and Land Acquisition Specialist work to ensure that key environmental and social management tools address the concerns of all stakeholders and that issues relating to land acquisition and compensation, road safety, HIV and AIDS and gender are addressed alongside more traditional biological and biophysical aspects of the environment. The tools used include Environmental and Social Impact Statements (ESIS), Resettlement Action Plans (RAP), Environmental Management and Monitoring Plans (EMP) and Environmental Audits.

A section of nothern by-pass road where grass has been planted to reduce soil erosion

Background

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is responsible for managing the development and maintenance of more than 10,000 km of national roads across Uganda. Although UNRA became a legal entity in 2006- after replacing the Road Agency Formation Unit (RAFU) - it formally began its operations on 1stJuly 2008.

UNRA started its operations when much of Uganda’s road network requires substantial improvement or development to meet current and forecast traffic demands, and to promote equal distribution of, and access to, economic and social development across the country. As such, the Government of Uganda has committed to fund a sizeable programme of works in the next few years.

The EMS, the LAMS and the tools there under, serve as a commitment by UNRA to demonstrating environmental and social due diligence in the provision of its services; they are a recognition that the environment is central to the organisation and to the quality of life of workers, road users and communities.

Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)

The Consultant recruited by UNRA carries out an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in accordance with the Guidelines and Regulations for Environmental Impact Assessment in Uganda.

UNRA’s Mission is “to develop and maintain a national road network that is responsive to the economic development needs of Uganda, the safety of all road users, and to the environmental sustainability of the national road corridors.” To achieve its Mission, UNRA intends to focus on optimising the quality, timeliness and cost effectiveness of its road projects, and to promote the use of innovative and creative techniques and strategies to optimise the performance of the network.

This entails the establishment of baseline environmental and social conditions and associated impact assessment.

Participation is a cornerstone of the process and consultation meetings are held with relevant local agencies, communities and other stakeholders, including key government agencies responsible for overall and sectoral environmental management.

Baseline environmental and social conditions considered will include among other things: geology, biological resources, aesthetics, water quality and hydrology, land use and planning, population and housing, public services and utilities and service systems, energy sources, economic activities, transportation and traffic as well as cultural heritage. Positive as well as negative impacts are recognised, with the positives enhanced while the negatives mitigated.

UNRA’S ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL INITIATIVES IN ROAD PROJECTS Environmental Management System (EMS) and Land Acquisition Management System (LAMS).

In the case of most projects, the number of potentially negative impacts is greater than the number of potentially beneficial impacts; however, through careful design and management many of these impacts can be effectively mitigated – the purpose of the ESIA process.

Environmental sustainability is enshrined in the UNRA mission statement which recognizes an inextricable link between the environmental performance of the organization and road network and economic development.

Mr Patrick Isagara Kamada, the Environmental Specialist explains that UNRA has embarked on establishing formal systems for Environmental and Social Management based on the international standards for quality assurance, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001; these systems, namely an Environmental Management System (EMS) and Land Acquisition Management System (LAMS) are designed to ensure that environmental and social issues are managed throughout the project cycle and in line with both national laws international best practice.

May/July 2009 26andEnviroConserveAFRICA

Potentially negative impacts associated with road projects are present at each phase of construction, from pre project land acquisition, to general construction activities and post project operations.

Common impacts on road projects include effects associated with land take (for road reserves, borrow pits for gravel and stone quarries, and land for campsites and road diversions). Some of these can be in sensitive areas such as national parks and game reserves, wetlands, forest reserves, hilly and mountainous areas and crossing water bodies such as streams and rivers.

In construction, impacts are often associated with the

deterioration of air quality and the generation of noise and vibrations. Soil erosion and siltation of water bodies may also occur as a result of road works, quarry operations, loose murram surfaces and frequent vehicular movements, exposed embankments, loose heaps of soils and stones, preparation of bitumen/asphalt for road surfacing, disposal of wastes including overburden, soil and rock spoil, camp waste, workshop waste etc.

The health and safety of workers and the project affected communities are also of concern including accidents and transmission of diseases such as STDs including HIV/AIDS. Mitigation measures normally employed include compensation for acquisition of land, destruction of property and crops, installation of culverts of appropriate sizes to avoid interference with water flows, sprinkling of water on murram surfaces during road works, stabilising bridge sites and the inlets and outlets of culverts on sandy soils with gabion or stone pitching, locating quarries away from densely populated areas, using appropriate stone blasting and crushing technologies and practices such as wet stone crushing; restoration of abandoned campsites, road diversions, using of soil and rock spoil in quarry sites and borrow pits restoration, landscaping and drainage of borrow pits, grassing of embankments and tree planting. It is ensured that workers are provided with appropriate and adequate protective wear to protect them from body injury, dust and gaseous emissions and high noise levels and ensuring that it is used by the workers.

Some road safety measures include humps, rubble strips, and speed limit signs.

The Resettlement Action Plan (RAP)

Both the Uganda Constitution and the Land Act (1998), as amended, require that adequate, fair and prompt compensation is made before taking possession of land and property. Therefore the Government of Uganda and Development Partners require preparation of a Resettlement Action Plan for each road development project in which the environmental and social dimensions of the project are analysed. UNRA undertakes the RAP to ensure that there are minimal social disruptions and negative effects on people’s livelihoods during road project implementation. The compensations assist those who have lost assets as a result of a road project to maintain their livelihood through income restoration.

The Resettlement Action Plan contains the valuation roll of project affected persons, their valuation assessments and the compensation packages payable including strip maps showing the locations of the affected land and properties adjacent to the road alignment. This demands fair and transparent compensation. The Resettlement Action Plan is approved by the Chief Government Valuer of the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development (MOLUD).

Project Development and Implementation

UNRA projects undergo three major stages (3) before they become operational. The stages include feasibility study, detailed design and construction.

Environmental Management in its Road Projects Feasibility Study Stage: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

This involves the scoping of environmental and social concerns to be addressed, generation of baseline data and relevant environmental and social characteristics of the route corridor and compilation of existing data and studies on the biophysical and socio-economic environment, undertaking environmental valuation and analysis of cost and benefit implications of mitigation measures to address the potential impacts alongside the socio-economic cost -benefit analysis.

The RAP is more relevant in situations when UNRA needs to acquire more land to expand or construct new roads. Mrs. Pamela Ayebare, UNRA’s Land Acquisition Specialist says this is handled with a lot of care since land is a very precious resource in the country. This involves identifying owners, valuing their property and assets, and looking into areas such as how some people might be affected by the project. Ayebare adds that people are variably affected, and they range from crop farmers, business structure owners to housing units. These effects may be short and long term.

Ayebare says the Resettlement Action Plan which involves ascertaining social effects of the project as well as whether there may be cases for compensation is employed to ensure a smooth execution of the land acquisition process. She adds that UNRA’s principle based on the Compulsory Land Acquisition Act is to maintain fairness at all levels of the evaluation process to all property affected. “The principle is never to make the property owner worse or better off,” Ayebare says.

Detailed Design Stage: Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)

The Consultant undertakes an ESIA and proposes safeguards and mitigating measures to be integrated into the design, construction and operation of the road in order to minimise any potential negative impacts and enhance positive impacts, which the upgrading of the road may have on local people and the environment. In situations where social amenities may be destroyed, the ESIA recommends temporary supplies and replacement to avoid disruption of supplies. According to Mr Joseph Otim, UNRA Project Engineer, this was the case during the construction of the Northern By-pass, which saw seven spring wells affected along the route. However, seven boreholes; one at Busega, two at Senteema, and others at Kyebando were sunk to avail cleaner and potable water for the residents of these areas.

Enviro

Valuer is responsible for providing guidance and principles to be followed in every aspect of the land acquisition process, environmental agencies such as the National Forestry Authority (NFA), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) are also consulted to have their views and inputs in the study. It is in such instances where small sections of a forest may be tampered with; that the National Forestry Authority reaches an agreement with UNRA to pay for the destroyed trees so the same number of trees can be planted elsewhere.

However, like in every undertaking, UNRA has faced challenges in its land acquisition for the road projects. Ayebare notes that because land is a valuable resource, the time when the valuation is done and the time the compensation is made matters. Any delays in payments can lead to complaints and appeals by the affected persons. She also adds that the concept of land acquisition is relatively new and this has been further compounded by the new legal provision that puts ownership of land into the hands of Ugandan citizens unlike before, when the land was vested in the hands of the state.

This means that for any project to be implemented it has to be fully compensated and this sometimes delays project implementation. The Consultant also ensures that preparation of the Resettlement Action Plan takes into account any relevant findings from the ESIA and any other consultations and impacts on roadside communities identified during the design process.

Environmental and Social Impact Statement

The findings of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) are presented in an Environmental and Social Impact Statement (ESIS). The ESIS reports on the findings, conclusions and recommended actions, supported by summaries of the data collected and citations of any references used in interpreting those data. The ESIS is usually a concise document, which clearly addresses significant social, environmental and economic issues. The ESIS is prepared in accordance with the Guidelines and Regulations for Environmental Impact Assessment in Uganda and is submitted to NEMA for review and approval.

Construction Stage: Self-Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (ESMMP).

Part of Nothern by-pass Road In addition, the Supervising Consultant liaises with UNRA, NEMA and the Contractor on compliance of any additional site specific ESIAs covering temporary infrastructure, quarries and borrow pits and identifies any other Government departments and lead agencies that need to be consulted. UNRA works closely with government environmental agencies such as NEMA, UWA, and the Wetlands Management Department to monitor implementation of construction works in sensitive areas such as game parks and wildlife reserves and wetlands of ecological significance.

ESIA: A tool for mainstreaming climate change adaptation in the road sector

The ESIA process is also a key tool for UNRA in its efforts to combat the impacts of climate change in the road sector.

The ESIA process and associated Quality Assurance systems provide UNRA with a mechanism to implement a risk based approach to climate change adaptation and reducing vulnerability, particularly as more is understood about the impacts of extreme weather events and other aspects of anticipated change in Uganda.

Enforcing a robust approach to Environmental and Social Assessment provides UNRA with a number of entry points. The ESIA process enables UNRA to: • “Climate change proof” the national investment in road infrastructure, particularly as more data becomes available.

For example where extreme weather events become more frequent and maximum rainfall intensities increase, we can examine changes to design such as more expansive drainage works.

As a UNRA requirement, the contractors produce a Self Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan (ESMMP). The Self –ESMMP is prepared within the framework of the approved ESIS. It is intended to further elaborate on the • Minimize impacts to natural resource assets that can ESMMP in the ESIA and serves as commitment by the contractor “buffer” climate impacts (i.e. wetlands, forests, freshwater to implementation of mitigation measures and also serves as a The methodology used in the above assessments usually follows resources etc), thereby reducing our vulnerability and monitoring tool for implementation of mitigation measures. relevant national and international guidelines and legislation This plan looks at measures proposed at the design stage and the Consultant should adequately consult with NEMA, •. Implement carbon offset programmes-for example using or any measures identified to minimise any negative and relevant lead agencies, the public and other stakeholders tree planting and road side landscaping to offset vehicular environmental and social impact during the road project to ensure that their concerns are clearly identified and fully emissions. UNRA is already emphasizing ”climate change construction process.

The Supervising Consultant who oversees addressed in the ESIA. ESIA studies relating to neighbouring road proofing” of its development projects through formulation construction implementation by the Contractor also ensures projects are also reviewed, as are any other ESIA or scoping study of clear tree planting programmes for implementation that the contractor has staff assigned to guide implementation undertaken during the project road’s feasibility stage. Regarding along the boundaries of the road reserves and in its ► of the ESMMP and preparing of monthly progress reports on the RAP, Ayebare adds that although the Chief Government environmental restoration activities. the ESMMP. EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009 27 Contact: Uganda National Roads Authority, Plot 11, Yusuf Lule Road, P.O. Box 28487, Kampala. Tel: +256 312 233100, +256 414 318000, www.unra.go.ug

World Environment Day

Alarming decline in biodiversity Invasive species a threat to world biodiversity and the global economy

By Our Correspondent

U

nited Nations has expressed concern over the alarming decline in biodiversity despite the nations’ commitment to prevent the loss by the year 2010.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wonders why most countries are not reducing the loss of biodiversity as agreed during the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

change and spread of invasive alien species.

He regretted that most nations were spending colossal amounts of money to eradicate invasive plants that are harming various ecosystems instead of channeling the funds to development programmes. “Unwanted by-products of globalization, non-native species are harming ecosystem services, livelihoods and economies throughout the world.

In his message during the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22), Ki-moon attributed the massive loss of biodiversity to deforestation, changes in habitat and land degradation, growing impact of climate

The Government of South Africa alone is spending as much as US $60 million per year in an attempt to eradicate plants, such as wattles, that are invading valuable farmland, river sys tems and Kinyara Sugar Joins the World Community to economically Mark 2009 World Environment Day important Celebrations tourist sites such as the Cape F lo ral Kingdom,” said the Secretary General.

A member of the RAI Group

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

His sentiments were echoed by United Nations E nv i ro n m e n t Programme ( U N E P ) Executive Director Achim Steiner saying alien invasive species cost the global economy over US $1.4 trillion posing a threat to the realization of

UN Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

“Free from natural predators and checks and balances, alien invasive species can explode in numbers in their new homes ousting native species, clogging waterways and power station intakes, bringing novel infections including viruses and bacteria, poisoning soils and damaging farmland,” said Steiner.

In Kenya, invasive alien species such as water hyacinth, Nile perch and prosopis juliflora have wreaked havoc by changing the biological diversity of ecosystems and rendered the environment economically unproductive.

Speaking at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) during the commemoration of the International Biodiversity Day, Environment and Natural Resources Minister John Michuki said that the invasive alien species has resulted into huge economic losses.

“Although Nile perch was introduced in Kenya in 1960 in Lake Victoria to boost the fishing industry, it is responsible for reduction and disappearance of more than 200 species of fish in the lake. Similarly, the water hyacinth has made us lose the aesthetic value of our Nairobi dam and also increased the cost of purifying water due to higher concentration of suspended decaying of organic matter,” said Michuki.

On the other hand, the increased incidence of malaria in Baringo has been associated with the expansion of prosopis juliflora thickets while lantana camara bushes provide good habitats for tsetse flies which cause nagana in cattle and sleeping sickness in human beings.

Kenya has a plethora of laws governing support management of invasive species Continued on page 34

Wilmar Plantation Services and Bidco Uganda joins the world community to observe World Environment Day.

Our investment is one of the largest agro-projects in Uganda today and therefore our values on the environment cannot be over emphasised. To underline our concern for the environment, we have planted indigenous tree-species such as musizi and mukusu in the 200-meter-buffer areas on the lake shores, as required

by NEMA. We prevent soil erosion into the lake by growing cover-crops, which also enrich the soil by nitrogen-fixing, hence reducing the use of fertilizers and chemicals.

Our contribution to low carbon economy will be realized through our cogeneration project that will produce 2 megawatts to run the Oil Mills and will be extended to light up staff quarters . A community hospital is already operational and neighbouring communities on the island will also benefit from this project.

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

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ENERGY FOR RURAL TRANSFORMATION (ERT) ����������������������

Introduction

Energy for Rural Transformation (ERT) is a tenyear Programme for improving access to modern energy. It was prepared by the Government of Uganda, with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development as the Lead Agency. It is supported by the World Bank and GEF.

primary importance in the Government of Uganda’s national development strategies.

Improving energy efficiency in productive enterprises also addresses key concerns for reducing pressures on forestry resources, thereby promoting more environmentally sustainable development in rural areas.

The purpose of the ERT Programme is to develop Uganda’s rural Energy Sector so that it makes a significant contribution to bringing about rural transformation. For this purpose, the project includes cross-sectoral synergies, while remaining firmly anchored within the Energy sector. ERT’s cross-sectoral linkages help in facilitating access to modern energy for the benefit of rural population. The project

The Rural Electrification Agency is leading the strategy of extending the grid electricity to rural areas. With the current coverage of about 5% rural electrification, the highest burden is on biomass use which ultimately releases a lot of carbon to the atmosphere.

By providing electricity, ERT is reducing the amount of carbon that would be released to the

Objectives

The Programme is aimed at increasing access to modern energy especially to rural areas.

Most rural areas depend on firewood and charcoal as the most common forms of energy.

Over harvesting of wood to provide energy has been a major cause to the looming deforestation and hence desertification. The Programme will assist in reversing the trend of deforestation and hence release of carbon to the atmosphere.

In Uganda today, fuel wood (firewood, charcoal and crop residues) represent a major energy source and they constitute over 90% of the total energy consumption in the country. Fuelwood provides almost all the energy used to meet the

������������������������������������������������ includes links with the following agencies/ institutions in Uganda: • Ministry of Energy and Mineral development (MEMD) • Rural Electrification Fund, Board and Agency • Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) • Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture, Water and Local Government • Bank of Uganda, and • Private Sector Foundation Commercial woody biomass, particularly fuel wood, is an important input in many rural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda.

Fuelwood costs account for a substantial portion of overall costs in a number of productive commercial rural activities, including brick making, lime production, fish smoking, bakeries, small restaurants and hotels.

Stimulating investment in rural areas is of

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

atmosphere.

Woody biomass, (traditional fuels) account for over 95% of all rural energy supplies.

Traditional fuels account for the vast majority of all energy use in the rural small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in key areas of agroprocessing (fish smoking, tobacco drying, etc.), rural industry (lime, charcoal, brick, tile, etc. production), and the rural service sectors (eating houses/restaurants, hotels, bakeries). In each of these areas, traditional fuels account for a minimum of 25% of operational costs (hotels and restaurants) to as much as 90% (lime and brick production).

Wood energy accounts for a very high proportion of these businesses’ overall and variable costs.

Work carried out with the MEMD and the Ministry of Local Government (MOLG) helped to identify areas for pilot activities to promote energy efficiency in SMEs.

������������������ basic needs of cooking and water heating in rural and most urban households, institutions and commercial buildings.

The programme is encouraging interventions for sustainable use of the available biomass energy and for reducing on the occurrence of desertification. Among the activities, is the creation of awareness on the energy saving technologies, like the use of energy saving stoves. This reduces on the amount of firewood needed, hence reducing on the pressure on the forest resources thus combating desertification.

The programme has also been involved in the education and awareness on energy conservation technologies and exposing the dangers of inefficient energy use on both the biophysical and human environment.

Pilot Activities

The Programme has promoted technologies that enhance efficient burning of biomass.

EFFORTS IN LOWERING CARBON IN THE ENVIRONMENT ����������������������

This is aimed at promoting efficient utilization of biomass energy resource utilization hence reducing on environmental degradation.

ERT has embarked on the development of pilot activities on biomass gasification as a way of developing Uganda’s Energy Sector so that it makes a significant contribution in bringing about rural transformation. The scope of work under the gasification component consists of: • Introduction of the gasification technology through the demonstration of biomass gasification for producing electricity at Nyabyeya Forestry College • Setting up of a testing facility for assessing the potential of different agro-waste available in Uganda as a feed stock for gasification

���������������� • Development of a national training programme on gasification • Developing a future road map for dissemination of gasification technology in Uganda.

In agriculture, a lot of biomass energy is used like in tobacco curing, which may lead to desertification. In addition to planting trees, the tobacco curing farmers will have to adapt to new technologies that use much less biomass energy. Also, energy is very crucial for agroprocessing and value addition to agricultural products. Agro-processing industries use a lot of biomass energy and in a very inefficient way.

This programme helps to inculcate a sense of efficient use of biomass for sustainability.

The use of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is being promoted as it eliminates both indoor air pollution and reduces over dependency on biomass energy. However, this technology has been unaffordable and inaccessible to several

people.

Another area of interest is the development of solar energy. Solar can be a good substitute for the fuel used for lighting and water heating.

Some few areas have taken it up especially health centers that would require heated water and clean lighting.

There have been efforts of promoting efficient use of biomass in lime burning. An efficient lime burning kiln was set up in Tororo. This involved some modification on the existing traditional lime kiln. Also, Kisoro benefited by being introduced to efficient and fuel saving lime burning technologies.

There have been efforts to promote improved

of firewood is being experienced in the district which may have a negative impact on people’s livelihoods. Improved and efficient energy technologies for tobacco curing will help the people to have better incomes by reducing on the fuel wood costs.

By providing improved energy technologies, ERT is promoting the reduction of carbon emissions to the atmosphere. This is in line with combating the effects of global climate change.

Expectations and Hindrances

The programme is expected to be private sector led with Government providing subsidies where

���������������������������� cooking stoves for institutions and improved bakeries in the area of Kabale. Several schools and other institutions that are using a lot of firewood, have adopted the improved cookstove technology.

necessary under private public partnerships.

Fish drying is another area that uses high energy and improved drying kilns are being promoted in Buliisa District along the shores of Lake Albert. There is a lot of fishing but with extensive scarcity of firewood for fish smoking.

The cost of firewood is becoming unbearable for the fish smokers forcing the majority to move long distances in search of firewood. With adoption of the new technology, less firewood would be required and hence reduce on the deforestation rate.

One major restriction to energy investment most people are not yet aware on the changes, especially statutes in energy, and are therefore reluctant to take up investment in energy.

The majority of the people still consider that providing energy is a sole responsibility of the Government. They want to be considered under political pledges.

Improved tobacco curing kilns are also being promoted in Arua District. A lot of firewood is spent on curing tobacco which is the main economic activity in Arua district. The scarcity

It is also expected that the programme will stimulate rapid growth in rural areas by helping them access to modern and efficient energy technologies.

This programme is helping to avail modern energy to areas that present economic benefit.

In addition, all district headquarters are expected to have modern forms of energy to help in providing the vital energy for the communication equipment, after which, the benefit will filter down to all villages.

Energy for Rural Transformation (ERT), Ministry of Energy and Minerals Development, Amber House Plot No. 29/33 Kampala Road, 2009 EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July P.O. Box 7270 Kampala Tel: 0414 -341040

31

The Oil Refinery Debate

Magnificent Iranian Oil Refinery

Should Uganda build a refinery or not? That is the question

By Ronald Musoke

A

s Uganda prepares to start exploiting its oil resources, there is a raging debate on whether or not the country should immediately set up a refinery or simply start by exporting crude oil.

Uganda will next year join the enviable list of the world’s oil producers, becoming the first East African country to produce the commodity.

In March this year, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) approved Tullow’s Early Production Scheme (EPS), in effect giving Tullow the green light to start production.

The approval cleared a major legal hurdle in the exploitation of crude oil in the Albertine Basin and Tullow, one of the major oil companies operating in the country and the firm behind this particular project, has predicted that early production would start late next year with an initial production of 6000 -10000 barrels a day.

However, as the country prepares for this major development, with wide implications on the socio-economic development of the country, opinion is divided on how to handle the commodity.

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

While the government wants the oil to be refined locally to satisfy the country’s energy demands and boost the economy, other players favours exporting the crude oil first to the Kenyan port of Mombasa for regional and international markets.

In May, President Museveni made a three-day state visit to the Persian Gulf nation of Iran and according to reports; Iran agreed to fund the entire value chain of Uganda’s oil production.

Iran, which has been in the oil business for close to a century, and is also the world’s fourth largest producer and exporter of petroleum, will also jointly fund the construction of an oil refinery in Uganda.

But, the Uganda government’s insistence on building a local oil refinery as opposed to exporting crude has been challenged as a premature move.

Dr Duncan Clarke, the Chairman and CEO of Global Pacific and Partners (GP&P), a global petroleum consultancy firm recently said in an interview with Kenyan-based Ratio Magazine that President Museveni’s emphatic proposal that Uganda would not export any crude but would refine locally to ensure value addition remains in the country would be akin to “one shooting oneself in the foot”.

Over the last three years, commercially exploitable oil reserves have been confirmed along the western border of the country with substantial discoveries in the Bunyoro region and northern Uganda. Recent discoveries have put the country’s reserves to be about one billion barrels, with more exploration going on.

Heritage Oil, one of the prospecting oil companies announced details of a large oil discovery in Uganda early this year which the company claimed could be the largest onshore find in the Lake Albert region. Heritage Oil put the figure of the find to at least 400 million barrels of oil.

Brian Smith, Heritage Oil’s Vice President for exploration was early this year quoted by the UK’s Times saying the Buffalo-Giraffe complex in the Lake Albert basin is considered the largest onshore oil field in sub-Saharan Africa discovered in the last 20 years.

It is such kind of discoveries in the country that Clarke hinges his arguments for a shift in the government’s current stance.

“Much will depend on reserves, the total

►

Energy

volumes of which are not yet fully known and long term oil production profiles, as well as crude qualities.

“To take a dogmatic view that no crude will be exported is unwise, short term in outlook, and cannot be justified by mere politics or ideology, as it needs an economic evaluation to support such claims,” he said.

Clarke said a small domestic refinery for local product demand might work and find some justification but a large refinery to absorb all crude means heavy investment and potential delay in crude exports, while no one knows how the profile might or might not be influenced by future discoveries and their size.

According to the consultant, if the government insists, there would be need to solicit for a refinery investor of substance.

He said this takes time and costs for investment can be substantial, while the investor must take a view of sovereign risk as well.

Asked about the future for East African oil and gas, Clarke said there is a promising exploration and production future for the wider region, from Somalia to Mozambique, onshore and in new basins that have been little explored even into the Great Lakes.

However, governments must run a world-class race with regular bid rounds, opening up opportunities, improving the terms if necessary, setting out firm and sustained investment and policy guidelines, operating above board, creating competitive and even landscapes.

Clarke also said refraining from politicization of the oil game and nurturing sound business relationships with the companies will also go along way in streamlining the petroleum sector.

Although oil revenues from oil production can provide away out of Uganda’s extensive donor dependence, government weaknesses are likely to limit the transformative potential of the hydrocarbon sector and can exacerbate existing political tensions, Clarke noted.

Meanwhile, information is emerging that the reason as to why the early production scheme has been postponed on more than two occasions is not about recent discoveries or the shifting of the refinery site outside the nearby game reserve but rather a more fundamental disagreement among

Rwenzori Commodities ������������������������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� World Environment Day.

“I think crude export initially is the way to go to realize early benefits, allow time for more exploration, permit a small plant to become a local facility for the domestic/ regional market and avoid the possible risk of a refinery ‘white elephant’ which would need to compete with imported products,” Clarke said.

Asked if this particular sector would attract serious global players and whether there are any African nations where this industry has been built from scratch from which Uganda can learn, Clarke insisted that a refinery project would be a bigger risk in comparison to a crude export pipeline.

Clarke said Sudan has built refinery capacity but noted that Uganda’s northern neighbour has been in the production for a long time and its volumes exceed Uganda’s likely early three to five years production flows.

He also dismissed suggestions that increase in oil activity may exacerbate insecurity at Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. He said the inter-state friction between Uganda and D R Congo has complex historic and contemporary roots, oil being not the sole driver.

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

33

Company Profiles

Continued from page 28 but they are not adhered to making it vulnerable to environmental disasters resulting from introduction of weeds without precautionary measures.

The laws include the Environmental Management and Coordination (Conservation of Biological Diversity and Resources, Access to Genetic Resources and Benefits Sharing) Regulations 2006, Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), Seeds and Plant Variety Act, Agricultural Produce Act and Plant Protection Act. Following the devastating effects of invasive alien species, the minister said the government will strictly enforce laws which support management of invasive species to avert further disasters■

MAKSS, the packaging experts

M

AKSS Packaging Industries, a manufacture of corrugated cartons and other paper based packaging products, began in 1994.

The company is located at Nakawa industrial area in Kampala, and has the capacity to produce boxes for the entire eastern Great Lakes region. The entire production takes place in Uganda, making our product 100 percent Ugandan MAKSS produces high quality customized or industry standard boxes. The company’s products are used to package products such a soap, cosmetics, biscuits, juices, water, stationery, oil, UHT milk, cigarettes etc.

produce such as vegetables, passion fruit, banana, beans, tea, day old chick, coffee, tobacco among others.

The company also serves the horticultural and fish industries by providing them with material to package flowers and fish.

Other products include magazine folder holders; boxes to store company’s achieved records, boxes for aid agencies and government documents. The company is also unrivalled when it come to making take-away boxes for pizzas, cakes and packed lunches.

MAKSS also offers fine quality e-flute boxes for primary (inner) packaging, waxed boxes for frozen fish, frozen foods and many other applications■

They are also used to package farm

MAKSS is a manufacturer of standard and customised corrugated cardboard boxes for all types of Industries local and export: Biscuits, Confectioneries, Soap, Cosmetics, Foods and Beverages, Flowers. Fish, Fruits and Vegetables, Tobacco, File / Storage systems, moving and much more.

Any Design Any Type Any Print

If you need boxes, look no further MAKSS is your one stop packaging shop MAKSS products are made in Uganda

Plot 41 Mukabya Close, Nakawa Ind. Area, P.O.Box 20141 Kampala,Uganda Tel: 286544/5/6/8, Mob: 0712-220093 Fax: 286547 E-mail: sales@maksspackaging.com,ugathings@maksspackaging.com

34

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

Population Secretariat Uganda’s rapidly growing population continues to exert more pressure on the environment Does Uganda’s rapidly expanding population pose a threat or opportunity for the country’s environment?

According to the most recent research, Uganda’s rapid population is putting tremendous pressure on the country’s natural resources such as water, wetlands, forests, land, biodiversity and energy.

The 2008 State of the East Africa Report commissioned by the Society for International Development (SID) in April (2009) says Uganda’s rich natural resources will continue taking relentless strain as the population further expands and more ordinary people aspire for prosperity.

There is no doubt that Uganda is blessed with vast natural resources and if well maintained, these can enable Ugandans to carry out a variety of productive human activities and attain a wide range of economic, social, political and cultural aspiration.

Wetlands which make up 13 per cent of the country’s land surface are increasingly being put under pressure from reclamation for agriculture especially rice production.

However, a fast growing population like Uganda’s makes it difficult to maintain the capability of the natural resources to sustain the needs of Ugandans.

The country’s population growth rate is not showing any respite.

For instance, in 2003, Uganda’s population was about 25 million.

Five years later, it rose to about 30 million in 2008. Current projections show that by 2010, Uganda will have a population of about 32 million, yet five years later, another five million Ugandans will be added making the total population swell to about 38 million. This may not be good news for the country’s resources-both renewable and non-renewable.

The 2008 Uganda State of Population Report notes that the country has an annual growth rate of 3.2 per cent. Indeed every year, about 1.2 million Ugandan babies are born and the figures are expected to further go up with each new year. The same report anticipates that by 2010, 1.5 million babies will be born each year, and by 2015, the country will be registering new babies in the region of 1.7 million. This insight calls for policy makers and implementers to find solutions that will balance the needs of the present population without jeopardizing the needs of the future generations.

On its part, the 2006/2007 Uganda State of Environment Report notes that the country’s rapidly growing population has a direct negative impact on the nation’s natural resources.

For instance, on the inelastic resource that land is, the report has a warning for the country. Uganda currently has about 7.2 million hectares of arable land under crop agriculture which is less than 50 per cent of the arable land. It has been suggested that available land for agriculture will run out in most parts of Uganda by around 2022, and the land available in eastern Uganda (around

Young girls in search of firewood to use at home

Involving young people in conservation of the environment ensures sustainable utilization of natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations

the Mountain Elgon region) is even expected to run out by 2010.

Predictably, the rapid decline in the available land resource is attributed to the very high population growth rate.

The above examples go so far in showing that a big population is ultimately connected with most of the current human predicaments including the depletion of non-renewable resources, deterioration of the environment, climate change, ecological disasters, and rising tensions and violence in the country.

Similarly, Uganda’s forest cover declined from about five million hectares in 1990 to 3.7 million hectares in 2005. This was as a result of encroachment for agricultural production, deforestation to produce wood fuel, urbanization, industrial growth, migration and problems of internally displaced people. The rapid increase in Uganda’s population is also cited as the major reason for the rapid decline in forest resources.

The high population growth rates have led to an increase in illegal settlements in protected areas some of which were formerly exclusively inhabited by wild animals. This has particularly affected these animals because their migratory routes have been blocked for settlements. This is evident in parts of Luwero, Masindi and Mubende districts where elephants were known to traverse. Incursions into wildlife reserves such as Queen Elizabeth National Park by the Basongora pastoralists have also been reported recently.

Wetlands which make up 13 per cent of the country’s land surface are increasingly being put under pressure from reclamation for agriculture especially rice production.

The story about dwindling natural resources due to the ever increasing population applies to water resources too. Although at the moment Uganda is generally classified as water secure by the United Nations, the trend is expected to change in the next few years largely because of changing climatic conditions but also because of the growing population.

The percentage of people with access to water and proper sanitation in Uganda has fluctuated over the last 40 years. This may, in part, be attributed to the political and socio-economic dislocations which have affected the country during this period but population pressure may be another reason.

Research shows that more Ugandans are spending more time in the process of finding water. The 2008 Uganda State of Population Report notes that 69 per cent of Ugandans spend more than 30 minutes getting to their nearest water source, while 28 per cent do so under 30 minutes. Only two per cent have water on their premises while the water source for one per cent of Ugandans is unknown.

As the country celebrates this year’s World Environment Day under the theme ‘Your Planet Needs You-Unite to Combat Climate Change,’ we all need to reflect upon our individual negative contributions to our environment.

A rapid population growth rate is one of the key factors that causes environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources especially under conditions of poverty. Population growth acts as a key catalyst and a multiplier of poverty led environmental degradation. One of the main burdens of a poor population is their direct dependence on nature for basic survival.

Poor households tend to have more children and their assets such as land and livestock are subjected to greater subdivision across generations in perpetuity thus resulting into increasing poverty and higher income inequality (PEAP, 2000). Poverty, therefore, is both a cause as well as a consequence of environmental degradation. In an attempt to meet their short term needs of survival, poor people degrade the environment.

Human demand for ecosystem goods and services is quickly growing not only in Uganda but the world over. However, while demand for ecosystem services such as food and clean water is growing, human actions are at the same time diminishing the capability of many ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, river banks, lake shores rangelands and mountainous areas.

Encroachment on wetlands, riverbanks, lakeshores, forests and other ecosystems has not only led to enormous losses of biodiversity, but has also led to the destruction of wildlife and their habitats.

Conclusively, it is very clear that there is a relationship between environmental problems and a fast growing population.

Consequently, it is important for policy makers and implementers at both local and national levels to improve and enhance the understanding of environment, and the impacts of population growth on the environment and human livelihoods. The government therefore needs to invest and plan for its growing population in order to have a quality rather than ‘quantity population.’

Contact: Population secretariat,ministry of finance,Planning and economic development p.o.box 2666,kampala tel: 0414-705400, EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009 Email: popsec@imul.com,website: www.popsec.org

35

Company Profiles

Sameer revives Uganda’s dairy industry

By Staff Writer

S

ameer Agriculture and Livestock Limited (SALL) is a joint venture company involving Sameer Group of Kenya and RJ Corp of India.

Sameer Group is a leading economic force in East Africa, with major investments and successful operating companies in all key business sectors while RJ Corp has for over 20 years been a major player in the food and beverage industry in India.

Dairy Corporation Limited which was taken over just two years ago by Sameer had been established by the Uganda government with the sole purpose of buying, processing and marketing of milk produced by local dairy farmers.

However, like most government enterprises, Dairy Corporation was faced with a number of problems leading to its failure to effectively fulfill its mandate. Soon after acquiring Dairy Corporation, Sameer Agriculture Livestock Limited started to sort out the problems.

According to Sameer Agriculture and Livestock Limited, Ugandan milk is one of the best around the East African region and since it is organic in nature, all milk products are high quality products which are well accepted in the market.

There is great potential in Uganda which was not being exploited in the past. Sameer management says the company can now collect all the milk that used to go to waste and this is now sold at competitive prices within the country and abroad.

When Sameer took over the Dair y Corporation, there were only nine operating raw milk tankers. The fleet has since increased to 21 tankers and the company is committed to procuring more vehicles as the milk collection network expands.

36

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

At the time of the Sameer take over, the Kampala milk processing plant was dilapidated. Machines in all sections of the plant needed either repair or replacement. To date, the company has repaired the chilled water and the entire refrigeration system. An additional capacity of 240 tonnes of refrigeration has been added. It has repaired and expanded the pasteurized milk packing machines. Besides, three cream separators have been added.

Other developments include repair and expansion of both the pasteurized and UHT milk packing lines, automation of the manual yoghurt production system whose capacity has been boosted and the line is now housed in a specially built room. The company has also established a new laboratory to handle a wide range of both analytical and microbiological tests, among others.

Sameer is now an ISO 9001 and 2000 certified company. The certifications were done by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. The company also launched the Food and Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000) in April 2008. Sameer is the only company in East Africa to have been awarded ISO 9000:2003. All these certifications have ensured that quality products are continuously sent to the market both within Uganda and abroad.

Benefits In the past 30 months of investment in equipment, technology and human resources by Sameer, dividends have been registered by the company. Raw milk collection has increased from a mere 50,000 litres to about 120,000 litres per day. The company is currently exporting over 300,000 litres of UHT

A Friesian cow grazes on a farm.

milk every month and these exports are ever growing.

Production capacity is 450,000 Litres per day and the company intends to add another 50,000 litres by the end of this year. This will increase the company’s production capacity to 500,000 litres per day.

Since Sameer took over, exports to the neighbouring countries (Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania) have gone up. Other countries importing Sameer’s dairy products include Egypt, North Sudan, United Arab Emirates (Dubai) and Sri Lanka. The company still harbours the ambition of becoming leaders not only in the region’s dairy industry but also the best dairy industry in the whole of Africa.

In the pre-Sameer days, most farmers did not have market for their milk and saw little value in it. These farmers were more interested in rearing cattle for beef production. However, since Sameer intervened, the trend has changed. During the Dairy Corporation Days, the collection capacity was about 20.000 litres per day and today Sameer has improved to between 100,000-320,000 litres a day.

Most importantly, the dairy farmers have started reaping benefits. Before the company took over, the dairy farmers were earning Ushs. 25 per litre. Today, they are getting about Ushs. 300 per litre. In one way, the farmers have been encouraged to keep more and more cows. Local dairy farmers greatly appreciate the benefits of working in partnership with Sameer, which has upgraded the old milk collection facilities and doubled the network of coolers and milk tankers■

World Environment Day Continued from page 12 its name as global warming.

It has occurred in the past but scientific research predicts that it will increase as a result of increased emission of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.

This process has a similar mechanism with that of the agricultural ‘greenhouse’ hence the name “greenhouse gasses”.

Global warming is caused by among other factors increased industrial pollution; the clearing of forests or marshes to make way for farms, settlements and factories.

Worldwide records show that eleven of the last twelve years have been among the warmest. Global warming is no longer a theory - it is happening and the tropical and semi-tropical areas will suffer most.

Hotter temperatures have changed rainfall patterns, leading to invasive insects and new diseases.

Uganda’s Department of Meteorology predicts that with only a two degree rise

in temperatures, 90 per cent of Uganda’s coffee growing land will no longer be fit to grow coffee. Global warming and Climate Change have several environmental effects that can lead to many socioeconomic changes such as poverty and food insecurity. The general increase in temperatures is a threat to many living organisms and thus will negatively affect the environment and tourism industry.

There is a range of measures to reduce Climate Change effects but it is always better to prevent it from occurring. In developed countries where signs of Climate Change are already high, mechanical measures such as ‘cloud seeding’ (artificial rain formation) have been tried out but the climate has not yet gone back to its original state.

Planting trees is one of the major keys to climate regulation. Trees act as a natural sink for the excess greenhouse gases.

In addition trees also modify climate as

they enable the hydrological (water) cycle to function through a process known as evapotranspiration. It is through this function of water cycle maintenance that trees protect the watersheds.

Subsistence and commercial farmers can regulate the poor agricultural practices such as bush burning which does not only clear land leaving it exposed to agents of soil erosion, destruction of organisms, but also pollute the air.

Energy saving or cleaner energy technologies can be promoted to save our forest resources from being depleted in the name of wood fuel and charcoal. Proper urban development, waste management, water catchments protection and protection of fragile ecosystems such as wetlands from encroachers are other measures that can minimize the effects of global warming■ Mugambwa Everest Kizito is the Information Communication Officer at NEMA- Uganda

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37

Company Profiles

Ruparelia Group, a business leader in Uganda

By Our Reporter

W

hen it started operations some 20 years ago, nobody knew that Ruparelia Group would grow into the multifarious business conglomerate that it is today.

Rated as one of the fastest growing business groups in East Africa, the Kampala-based Ruparelia now owns nearly 20 business entities in various sectors of the economy. This growth from a humble start is testimony of the resiliency, innovation and creativity of the founders.

The group has investments in finance, real estate, hospitality, education, media and agriculture.

In the financial services sector, the group stands tall, commanding ownership of household names such as the Crane Bank Limited , Goldstar Insurance Company Limited, Crane Financial Services not to mention several prominent forex bureaus which include Crane Forex Bureau , Stanhope Forex Bureau , Karibu Forex Bureau and Redfox Bureau De Change .

In the real estate, Ruparelia is emerging as a leader in property building and development, being the owners of Meera Investments and Crane Management Services.

Meera is one of the largest private property owners in Uganda with prime, commercial, industrial and residential properties mainly in Kampala City.

But it is in the hospitality industry that Ruparelia has put the biggest mark.

The group has an extensive range of hotel and tourist establishments to cater for a wide variety of visitors and boutique business travelers.

Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort – the best five star resorts which hosted 53 Heads of State in November 2007 is the group’s jewel. The Speke Resort which also has conference and convention centres is another of Ruparelia’s top of the range hotels. Add to this Marina and an Equestrian Centre which boasts the only Olympic-sized swimming pool in

38

An aerial view of Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala

East Africa and you have a group that is the bedrock of hospitality in Uganda.

making it the largest private sector contributor to the economic development of Uganda.

It should be mentioned that Speke Hotel, located right at the centre of Kampala, is the oldest hotel in Uganda. This list would be incomplete without mentioning Kabira Country Club which houses a state-of-the-art gymnasia and three centrally-heated swimming pools.

The group’s efforts have led to the creation of employment for over 5000 people in the various group companies. Women are the majority and over 90 per cent is from the local community. Rated among the top 10-20 tax payers in the country, its contribution to the exchequer cannot be overempathized.

In education, the group owns the US$ 150 millionworth Kampala International School and Kampala Parents School .The schools cater for both local and the expatriate community.

The Kampala International School is one of the best International Schools with facilities comparable to those in a developed world offering an International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum which opens up opportunities for students to join the best universities anywhere in the world .

Ruparelia does also lead in the floriculture and horticulture sectors. Rosebud Limited, the largest rose flowers farm in Uganda with 35 hectares under greenhouses with self propagating plant and hydro foam technology to improve productivity. Rosebud produces one million stems every month which is exported.

And finally in the media industry, the group owns Sanyu FM, of the finest radio stations in Uganda.

Sanyu caters for the young (18 - 35 years) and the young at heart drawn from the upper socio-economic classes of A, B & C1.

As is evident from the above investments, the group has continued to invest substantial capital to expand both existing ventures as well as into new ventures,

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

The group’s financial institutions are in the forefront when it comes to support to SME’s and local businesses. Crane Bank has one of the highest credit to deposit ratio, lending to a large section of local business community. This has promoted private enterprise and growth of the middle classes amongst the indigenous population.

The group’s contribution to the development of conference tourism in Uganda is evident. It was selected to partner with the government to construct a world class five star hotel and conference centre to host 53 Heads of state expected during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference which was hosted in Kampala in November 2007 . This has now become a premier venue for many such international conferences and major social and cultural events, contributing in attracting tourists from all over the world.

Finally, Ruparelia believes in giving back to the community that supports it through various social corporate responsibility initiatives. The group has funded and contributed to various social causes such as building of churches, sponsored sports as well as many other cultural and social development activities■

EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009

39

MAKE YOUR NEW HOME YOUR DREAM HOME

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EnviroConserveAFRICA May/July 2009