{"id":3261,"date":"2020-09-25T14:44:08","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T14:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westafrica.wetlands.org\/en\/blog\/sio-siteko-making-steps-to-implement-transboundary-wetland-management-plan\/"},"modified":"2023-11-03T11:04:12","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T11:04:12","slug":"sio-siteko-making-steps-to-implement-transboundary-wetland-management-plan","status":"publish","type":"wl_blog","link":"https:\/\/westafrica.wetlands.org\/en\/blog\/sio-siteko-making-steps-to-implement-transboundary-wetland-management-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Sio-Siteko: Making Steps to Implement Transboundary Wetland Management Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Aidah Nabwire, a mother of six, has over the years watched with dread the negative effect of human activities in her home in Busia, Uganda. <\/span><\/span><\/span>She is a small-scale farmer in Bumasi, one of the wards where the Sio-Siteko Wetland is located. <\/span><\/span><\/span>As a little girl, this Wetland that spans Kenya and Uganda was densely vegetated. <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201cWe only harvested grass and papyrus. <\/span><\/span><\/span>No one farmed in that area and it never dried. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Today, there are only small pockets of grass. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Trees have largely been cleared leaving the wetland open to the vagaries of the weather. <\/span><\/span><\/span>During the hot season in December, it dries up, \u201dsays Nabwire.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Nabwire is one of Sio-Siteko’s primary stakeholders’ representative who recently met with other stakeholders with the aim of constituting a Transboundary wetland management committee that will help in the implementation of the Sio-Siteko Wetland Management Plan. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Facilitated by Wetlands International, the participants were drawn from both countries including community-based organisations, national and local government officials, civil society organisations and NGOs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sio-Siteko Transboundary Wetland Management Plan was validated in June 2020. Similar <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>management plans<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> have been developed for Sango Bay-Minziro in Uganda and Tanzania and Semliki in the DR Congo and Uganda. <\/span><\/span><\/span>The project is commissioned by the GIZ on behalf of the Nile Basin Initiative. <\/span><\/span><\/span>It is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Environment’s International Climate Initiative.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe must move from meetings to action and tangible results. <\/span><\/span><\/span>We hope that this time, working together in a participatory and open manner, we will make steps toward addressing the issues and threats on Sio-Siteko for its restoration and to boost our livelihoods,\u201d stated Kenneth Okello a representative of the Bumasa Water Resource Users Association.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Newly formed Sio-Siteko Executive Management Committee<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Located in northeast Lake Victoria and encompassing the lower catchment of River Sio, it covers an estimated area of \u200b\u200b415 square Kilometres. <\/span><\/span><\/span>It supports four million people with agriculture as the main livelihood for 85 per cent. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Other forms of livelihood are sand mining, charcoal burning and harvesting construction materials. <\/span><\/span><\/span>In addition to acting as a natural buffer against disasters, it is also a rich habitat for biodiversity, hosting 520 bird and 208 plant species among others. <\/span><\/span><\/span>The community also has a strong attachment to the site for cultural practices.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Biting Poverty, Deficient Awareness<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A few years ago, Nabwire’s lastborn son asked her why the community cultivates on the wetland. <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201cThat question gutted me. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Somehow, I explained to him that the soils on the upper areas had lost their nutrients and people moved into the wetland to also boost their livelihoods. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Poverty is driving many to destroy our environment! <\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Sadly, Sio Siteko Wetlands faces numerous challenges driven by a rapidly growing population, widespread poverty, weak governance systems and structures and inadequate awareness of the wetland ecosystem value by the local communities. <\/span><\/span><\/span>The threats include unsustainable land-use practices, over-exploitation of wetland resources such as papyrus, wood, fish, sand and grassland, uncontrolled water abstraction, pollution, and more.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Sand harvesting near a bridge on River Sio in Busia, Kenya<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Various activities and interventions were recommended for the implementation of the management plan. <\/span><\/span><\/span>These would address both livelihoods and conservation under three thematic areas: ecosystem protection and restoration, livelihood improvement and institutional strengthening.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Nabwire is one of the 60 members of the Buhehe-Masinya Water Catchment and Resource Management Association that was formed in 2012 to tackle the degradation of the wetland. <\/span><\/span><\/span>The Association is one of the numerous community-based organisations who are the primary users of the ecosystem. <\/span><\/span><\/span>However, they still require the involvement of secondary and tertiary stakeholders such as national government institutions, local government authorities, NGOs, donor agencies, among others.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough we are the main users of this wetland, we still need the support – both technical and financial – from the other stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of our associations as well as facilitate and fund projects that will boost our incomes,\u201d stresses John Wandera, Chairman of Sio-Siteko Wetland Users Associations who now doubles up as Chair of the newly formed management committee.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Early Investment Projects<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

In her own small way, Nabwire is planting more grass on her farm to control soil erosion, restore surface water and increase fodder. <\/span><\/span><\/span>However, there is urgency for collective effort that will arrest the negative impacts on the wetland and hasten its restoration.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the implementation of the management plan, Wetlands International also developed an Investment Project Plan that include short-term bankable interventions and activities that can provide quick wins for both the wetland and the community. <\/span><\/span><\/span>One of the interventions include on-farm bamboo cultivation.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBusia County has less than two per cent forest cover. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Therefore, bamboo is ideal for this area since it does very well here and has diverse uses. <\/span><\/span><\/span>There is need to sensitise the youth to stop sand mining and encourage bamboo cultivation and value addition chain including marketing of products. <\/span><\/span><\/span>That will be a game changer, \u201dstated Roselyne Barasa, Chief Officer for Water in Busia County Government in Kenya.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Beatrice Murwayi shows off a bamboo basket produced by Eco Green, a community-based organization in Busia that promotes bamboo cultivation and value addition to uplift livelihoods<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The success or failure in the implementation of the management plan will be determined by the level of coordination and collaboration amongst all stakeholders. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Also, there is need for more deliberations on other governance structures to ensure transparency and accountability in addition to seeking support for the short-term interventions that will uplift the livelihoods of the communities as well as conserve the wetland landscape.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aidah Nabwire, a mother of six, has over the years watched with dread the negative effect of human activities in her home in Busia, Uganda. She is a small-scale farmer in Bumasi, one of the wards where the Sio-Siteko Wetland is located. As a little girl, this Wetland that spans Kenya and Uganda was densely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1315,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"editor_notices":[]},"wl_issue":[],"wl_topic":[17,18],"wl_type":[],"class_list":["post-3261","wl_blog","type-wl_blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","wl_topic-water-supply-and-sanitation","wl_topic-wetland-agriculture-and-fisheries"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSio-Siteko: Making Steps to Implement Transboundary Wetland Management Plan - Wetlands Africa EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sio-Siteko: Making Steps to Implement Transboundary Wetland Management Plan - Wetlands Africa EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Aidah Nabwire, a mother of six, has over the years watched with dread the negative effect of human activities in her home in Busia, Uganda. 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