Kigali Marriott Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda United Republic of Tanzania How Healthy is the Lake Victoria Ecosystems Goods and Services?: Gender-Ecosystem-Poverty linkage Perspective. Presented at the 5th Nile Basin Initiative Forum, 23rd to 25th October, 2017 Kigali Marriott Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda By Aloyce Hepelwa University of Dar es Salaam United Republic of Tanzania

OUTLINE Background Objective Methodology Key results Concluding remarks

Introduction In areas where community dependence on environmental resources is high: The implementation of the conservation and economic development policies is challenging. The win-win situation between the conservation and development policy is missing. Thus the sustainable resources management is not achieved

Introduction This is magnified by the lack of the link between the conservation and development objectives. Commonly in water basin areas where majority people are involved in cultivation, grazing and collection of forest products. This jeopardizes the sustainability of the resources and the human welfare.

Objective The purpose of this study is to argue the case for a new strategy for poverty eradication and sustainable natural resource management by using the local ecosystem – based income generation initiative. Determine the local ecosystems’ resource potential in the basin. Establish households dependence on the lake basin ecosystems services [crop production, income and food security Identify local ecosystem solution to address directly the poverty the over exploitation of lake resources.

Stakeholders engagement (Local communities) Methodology Documentary Review Stakeholders engagement (Local communities) Data analysis

Local investments opportunities Basin Analysis Lake victoria Profile To understand the basin resources and use Economic context - general economic trends and dynamics in the basin Socio-economic context - poverty levels, the income distribution, main livelihoods and the demographic composition Infrastructure - nature and potential role of basin plays –energy, transport, irrigation, industries etc and their implications for the region’s economic performance. Basin Profile Landscaping Local investments opportunities

Local ecosystem solution Basin Analysis Basin Profile 2. Landscaping Explore the status and trends in accessibility and usage of basin resources among several groups in the region Crop cultivation Fisheries livestock 3.Local ecosystem solution Identification of relevant alternative income generating activities Conservation investment plan Prioritization of local investments Costing investment plan Landscaping Local ecosystem solution

Lake Victoria Natural Wealth Economic Biophysical Largest inland water in Africa 2nd largest in the world Surface area 68,870 km2 Catchment area 193,000 km2 Hosts > 300 endemic fish species Fuel economic development of riparian countries Main source of H.E.P Source of water domestic, industrial, livestock, irrigation]

Study area and data

Dependence on lake resources(1) 1. Employment Number of fishers have doubled between 2000 and 2014 >50% fishing is full time job

Fishers in Lake victorias vs Fresh water For the direct fishing, there are about 150,000 fishers, of which 80% are in fresh water. The Lake Victoria alone contributes about 70% fishers in fresh water. Most targeted fish species

Decreased use of illegal gillnets Fishing by Gillnets Major fishing gears used in Lake Victoria include gillnets, long line hooks, hand line hooks, small seines and beach seines.(Report Lake Victoria Frame survey 2015). Decreased use of illegal gillnets

Quantity of fish harvested Tanzania’s fishery production is estimated to be 350,000 tons/annum 85% is from inland fisheries, 14% from marine and 1% from aquaculture. Average contribution by Lake Victoria is 65% of all fish production and 76% from freshwater capture fisheries

Fish Export The average catch value at beach for Tanzania is estimated at USD 360 million per year, of which about 70% is from Nile perch. Figure 1 shows the quantity of Nile perch exported for the period 2001 and 2015. The catch was highest in the 2005 of about 50,000 tons, however, since then the trend has been declining to as lower as about 23,000 tons by 2015

Local level Income from fish Fish catch is used for both generations of cash income and also for subsistence. The proportion of income by fishermen from the Sardine, Nile perch and Tilapia is 55%, 51% and 37% respectively 90% of the catch is for sale and the rest is for home consumption It is found that significant numbers of people are engaged and drives cash income from fish business. This is the activity mostly done by female than male.

Basin supported activities The main economic activity is crop farming and fishing. >70% of households are engaged in crop production Crop grown Low mechanization Low adoption of improved seeds and soil nutrients enhancement Low yield Low income Food insecurity

Healthiness of Basin resource Food insecurity Overfishing Increased crop cultivation (low productivity) Poor welfare condition High pressure Ecosystem degradation Deforestation (source of energy) Low income Most of these resources are under increasing pressure and consequently are deteriorating due to over use Evidence indicates – Lake resources experiencing threats that are negatively affecting sustainable development

Local ecosystem solutions 1. Fish farming (aquaculture) Less resource use Sustainable resource management and improved livelihoods 2. Value addition practices Agro processing skills Honey processing Fish processing High income 3. Alternative income source -Bee keeping - Horticulture 4.Investment on -Improved seed varieties -soil nutrients applications Food security 5. Training on entrepreneurship skills and marketing

Concluding remarks Farmers need to be empowered to acquire farm inputs such fertilizer and better crop market access Investments on awareness and the extension services is required to enhance the use of fertilizer. Funds dedicated for conservation should be allocated to improve the soil nutrients and technical efficiency. PhD Defense, VUB

Concluding remarks To reduce the policy gap between development and conservation It is necessary to improve soil nutrients and technical efficiency with these: welfare improvement is achieved pressure on resources is reduced Win-win situation