Agriculture & Environment
East African EfD centers strategize on how to promote sustainable use of Lake Victoria Basin (LVB)
Lake Victoria is a trans-boundary natural resource, underpinning the economies and livelihoods of the population within the wider catchment area of Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. The most significant part of the Lake, 51%, is in Tanzania, occupying 35,088 Km. Uganda has 43% of the Lake, while Kenya has 6%.
The lake acts as a source of fresh water, fishing, a waste repository and provides food, energy, water for irrigation, industry, drinking, tourism within and cross border transportation.
However, the lake and its surrounding areas have faced many challenges including rising lake water levels, moving islands, encroachment, ecological and biodiversity degradation which is evident in the probable extinction of several fish species.
The violation of the buffer zone policy of 200 meters away from the lake by investors, industries, farmers and settlers, increasing pollutants in form of polythene bags, plastics and untreated wastes and poor fishing methods have changed the lake ecosystem.
East African governments are signatories to the regional and international treaties targeted at conserving, protecting and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources within the lake basin. Whereas the international treaties have been domesticated in national legislation and, institutions and agencies have been established with mandates to safeguard the fragile ecosystems, unstainable use and management of the lake basin persists. This is partly attributed to political interferences, ineffective monitoring and poor implementation of the existing laws on the management and utilization of the lake.
Because of unstainable management of the lake, countries have witnessed unprecedented consequences such as floods and mudslides, extreme and unpredictable weather changes including where dams could not generate electricity due to very low water level and many other livelihood, social and economic impacts including loss of lives.
East African EfD centers meet in Uganda to discuss LVB issues
On 7th June 2023, Environment for Development Initiative (EfD) Makerere University Uganda organized a one-day high level policy dialogue on changes of Lake Victoria’s hydrology, water quality and livelihoods that was hosted by Uganda’s environment watchdog – the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) at its head office in Kampala, Uganda.
The dialogue was attended by the three East African EfD Centres led by the Directors; Prof. Richard Mulwa (EfD-Kenya), Dr. Onesmo Selejio (EfD Tanzania) and Prof. Edward Bbaale, for EfD-Uganda. Each country was represented by the delegates from different agencies. Among others, delegates from Kenya included Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) of Kenya, Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) of Kenya and academia from the University of Nairobi. In Tanzania delegates spanned from Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Lake Victoria Basin, Mwanza, and other Academicians from Adhi University and University of Dar es Salaam. In Uganda, Delegates came from different agencies including Ministry of Finance, planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), National Planning Authority (NPA), Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Environmental Police Protection Unit (EPPU), and academicians from Makerere University.
The Executive Director NEMA and host of the dialogue Dr. Akankwasah Birerega also graced the meeting.
Each country presented an in-depth analysis of the issues around LVB pertinent to its areas of jurisdictions, and later went into plenary discussion where short, mid and long-term interventions were proposed
Giving the background to the meeting, the Director EfD-Mak center Prof. Edward Bbaale said the need for this meeting arose from the impacts Uganda felt in 2020 when the country experienced heavy rainfall that made the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) unable to hold the water and caused a lot of havoc and predicaments on livelihoods.
During the period of late January 2020, fears of Lake Victoria bursting its banks started to be felt which later was followed by damaging of several landing sites and settlements as a result of floods. This led to disasters that left almost half a million people homeless and property worth billions of money had been lost in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
In April 2020, heavy floods with the moving vegetation chocked the hydroelectric power generation turbines at Jinja on Lake Victoria leading to a total blackout of the entire nation during a presidential address to the nation.
As a center, Bbaale said, the EfD-Mak conducted an investigation on the cause and what Government of Uganda can do to circumvent some of the issues through conducting national wide policy tours and came up with a policy paper.
Bbaale attributed the 2020 floods to Climate change, Lake Sedimentation due to catchment degradation and Buffer zone encroachment and lack of Regional Consensus on a well-coordinated Policy of regulating Lake Victoria inflow and outflow
The Director however said it was noted that L. Victoria is a trans-boundary natural resource benefiting East African countries and a source of River Nile holding livelihoods in Egypt and Sudan and thus, what Uganda does was bound to affect other countries, hence the need for the East African EfD centers to converge and debate what they can do together in terms policy frameworks and to tap from one another’s best practices.
“The current problems may threaten Lake Victoria basin for centuries if not well addressed at present. For example, all the major lakeside cities in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania could lose access to Lake Victoria in as little as 100 years.
We thought that we could leverage on each other’s information and knowledge on what we have collected concerning lake Victoria basin, come together, understand the issues from each country and how we can come up with one voice in the East African parliament and individual policy making bodies in our countries”, Said Bbaale
Bbaale reported that Environmental valuation in Uganda has huge capacity gaps. And more than often, environmentalists have vaguely responded to the president to weigh an industry over maintaining a wetland and many politicians have failed on the floor of parliament.
In addition to a deepened trans boundary cooperation on the management of the lake, tackling point and non-point source pollution, Bbaale called for the development of a coherent plan for conservation and rehabilitation of the fish fauna in Lake Victoria, strengthening capacity and human resources in environmental valuation as well as involvement of the general public in the management of the lake and observance of the buffer zone size of 200m away from the lake.
See the detailed EfD Mak presentation at the bottom of the page.
A cross-cutting enforcement body and an integrated Lake Victoria Basin Management policy for East Africa needed while producers must be responsible for their waste – Prof. Mulwa Kenya EfD Centre
The Director EfD-Kenya Prof Richard Mulwa decried the continued unsustainable utilization of natural resources despite many meetings targeting LVB. He said, the target for policy making on the lake basin and its ecosystem has been a moving target and would require a dynamic, adaptive, and collaborative approaches in balancing utilization and conservation.
Prof. Mulwa expressed the need for continued reviews and dialogues that incorporate the changing dynamics for example the changing climate.
At national level, Prof. Mulwa reported that Kenya has adopted integrated organic agriculture to reduce use of agrochemicals, promotes sustainable land use practices such as agro-forestry, crop rotation, conservation agriculture, and strives to eliminate the destructive fishing gears and enforcement of the allowable catch.
Other national interventions according to Prof. Mulwa are enhancement of waste management technologies and incorporation of the oil spills management plan and adoption of cleaner production technologies in industrial sector and mining sector, elimination of the use of cyanide and use the GDA (Gold Dressing Agent), Regulation of the aquaculture and develop MSP for suitability mapping , Promotion of conservation activities, integrating environmental considerations in County Integrated Development Plans including advocating and lobbying to expedite the enactment of many of the regulations that may govern activities in Lake Victoria that are still drafts.
Regionally, the Kenyan EfD Centre called for the Development of an integrated Lake Victoria Basin Management Policy/Regulation, formulation ofa regional monitoring commission under the East African CommunityandEnactment of draft regulations by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC).
In addition to establishing an enforcing body that cuts across the five countries that share the resource, Prof Mulwa suggested that producers must be responsible for the waste they generate.
“Engage organizations on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) so each is responsible for waste collection and management around the basin and be able to care for the plastic bottles and how they are disposed’ He said.
See the detailed EfD Kenya presentation at the bottom of the page.
Declining water levels, water pollution and illegal fishing persistent challenges in Tanzania
Representing the Director EfD Tanzania, Dr. Rosemary Taylor said despite the immense contribution of the lake to many livelihoods, there is declining water levels due to evapotranspiration, given the Lake’s shallowness, poor land use practices, agricultural and industrial development, and water withdrawal for consumption.
The other threat and defining features of the lake’s water according to Dr. Taylor is eutrophication, poor water visibility, dramatic changes in nutrients, and hypoxia, resulting to a massive loss of biodiversity.
The deteriorating water quality was attributed the discharge of untreated municipal waste, industrial effluents, urban surface contaminated runoff, organic and inorganic waste for intensive agricultural activities, and municipality sewage.
To promote the sustainable use of the basin, Dr. Taylor submitted that Government of Tanzania signed various protocols and treaties with other partner countries, participates in regional organizations such as LVFO, formulated national legal and regulatory framework and established national agencies to facilitate the sustainability of the Basin. GoT also collaborates with development partners in promoting sustainable use of the Basin, fosters Local community awareness creation and engagements, and
Increased women’s participation in managing the basin’s resources.
Dr. Taylor however said, despite being signatory to regional and international protocols , illegal fishing leading to reduced fish stocks and water pollution leading to loss of biodiversity are the persistent challenges
Key findings from the national policy dialogue attributed the persistent challenges to unharmonized policies e.g., Diverse policies and strategies about various sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries, water, and tourism, may have conflicting objectives.
Other factors are the Inadequate implementation and loopholes of the existing legal and regulatory frameworks, Lack of a common objective and vision among the key players, Growing poverty among the locals and limited alternative sources of living among local people and the open access nature of the fishing activities.
“Harmonizing regional and national Policies, Laws, and Regulations can help establish consistent frameworks for sustainable management.
We also need to think about enhancing economic empowerment of local communities and stakeholder engagement (academia, private sector, etc.) and involving local communities in decision-making can enhance awareness creation and a sense of ownership of the basin’s resources”, Dr. Taylor submitted
See the detailed EfD Tanzania presentation at the bottom of the page.
Expand the horizon of your economics and put the economic value on every resource, ED NEMA to EfD Centers
The Executive Director NEMA Dr. Akankwasah Birerega underscored the role of the EfD initiative as the way to go on reason that quiet often the obstacles of the environment come from development and thus one cannot separate environment from development and vice versa.
“Environment for development is a very important initiative for pushing sustainable policies advocacy and making a case for conservation using the economic lens because most of the decision makers understand the economic lens faster than the ecological lens.
When you translate ecological lens to the economic lens, it is the same message but it will move faster.
If you say this forest is very important for rainfall formation and air we breathe, everybody will take it for granted as the usual talk of environmentalists. But if you give them what cost they will incur when the forest goes away, the message will sin faster.
When you tell people that air pollution will increase public expenditure on health management, the message moves faster than saying the air is bad. So we need economics to communicate environment because the most policy architects and policies in Africa are based on economics”, Dr. Birerega explained
He urged the EfD centers to to use the niche, ability and establishment they have to lead the shift to enhancing the broadness with which economics is looked with by expanding the horizon of economics to begin putting the economic value on every resource in environment be it water, air, pollution etc.
“Economics for development is a very significant vehicle for us to transform the way we look at things and therefore as NEMA we pledge our total commitment to working with you in delivering the objectives of economics for environment sustainability and development because there are no alternatives to that.
You cannot preach the gospel of ecology alone and succeed because development must happen. We should not look at development as brick and mortar and concrete but in a holistic manner”, NEMAs ED asserted.
Dr. Birerega expressed willingness to participate in the development and popularization of the policy paper arising from this dialogue noting that nationally and globally there is now a fair understanding of the value of environment due climate change, biodiversity loss and increasing levels of pollution.
“It is clear that you cannot ignore environment issues and continue talking about development. We ignored environment, it went silent and started fighting for itself and when it starts fighting, it always wins and so our politicians now have a fair view of the importance of the environment at national and global level”, He added.
He expressed hope that they no longer go through a lot of hustle to convince people for environment resources, the reason why there is a Climate Financing Unit in Ministry Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Short, midterm and long term propositions during the plenary discussions
- The need for further scientific studies into the issues affecting LVB.
- Have a database where information concerning the LVB can be maintained and looked at what happens 10 years ago to inform policy.
- Involvement of local communities in the management and protection of natural sciences as the users.
- Enhance capacity building in water science to monitor how the seas and lakes behave.
- Using science to inform policy frameworks and devise means to invoke governments to use science informed policies.
- Public participation in environmental related dialogues and utilization of local knowledge to protect the LVB and move away from academic ranks.
- Harmonization of policies on alternative livelihood alternatives to reduce dependence on nature eg price of electricity and Gas to reduce use of wood fuel.
- All policies must have the policy action in order to achieve the objectives.
- Governments should incentivize local communities to protect lake shores and curb illegal fishing.
- Emphasize ENR valuation and enforcement.
- Environmentalists should make arguments based on science to address environmental problems eg if sedimentation continues, for the next so years the lake will dry up, given the magnitude of pollution.
- Governments should adopt participatory approach to start from local communities to the ministries.
- Extend the mandate of the LVB to all East African water bodies including Burundi and Rwanda for better implementation.
- Revisit national policies on offering certificates for residential, hoteliers and industries in fragile ecosystems to avoid double standards.
- Address the issue of sedimentation to national leaders and point out that in countries like Chad, a lake disappeared.
- Make a case for Uganda’s Presidential directive banning charcoal use that it shows good political will. However, there is need to provide alternative survival mechanism for communities to succeed e.g. how affordable is LPG gas and electricity.
- Countries should form technical committees to visit other countries to learn the best practices.
- Discussion on LVB should be promoted around the East African level under the Natural Resources Commission to gain political will.
- Investing institutional capacity building to provide ENR Valuation.
- Gazeting wetlands and enhancing public awareness for enforcement to be successful.
- Think of mechanisms to win political will to fight selective enforcement of the law.
- Government should address the issue of sewerage systems and waste management near water sources and adopt sanitary dumping sites.
- Strengthening existing partnerships within the country and across boarders and borrow best practices from neighbors, and bring resources together.
- Need to devote efforts in financing chapter and resource mobilization beyond governments and donors for long term financing for LVB policy implementation and capacity building.
- Establish village committees to participate in project evaluation and check on performance indicators.
- Evoke the education system in the region to build real patriotism from primary on importance of natural resources and the need to preserve it for the next generation. Borrow from Germany the sense of ownership of natural resources. Most education level of the population fishing in East Africa is more concerned with making super normal profit not the health and future of the stocks.
- Institutional strengthening to enhance implementation of regional instruments to manage natural resources and Biodiversity.
It was agreed that a writing team is constituted to synthesize the research findings from the three countries and come up with a single document written in simple language that policy makers can easily appreciate.
Later on, members would convene virtually in a webinar and further synthesize that paper for use as a policy brief or advocacy tool for sharing with government entities.
Given the opportunity, the policy paper will be presented to committees of parliament and other stakeholders. At the same time, EfD Tanzania, residing in a country hosting the East African Parliament in Arusha, will seek an opportunity to articulate the issues in the East African Parliament to promote awareness on LVB, converse political support and inform policy making.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer, EfD-Mak Centre Uganda.
Working with potential future employers of PhD students in Kenya and Uganda, Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Trans-disciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education (ADVALUE) Project aims to develop curricula that best prepare academic specialists in agricultural sciences for their careers.
Overview
The lack of skills-oriented training significantly undermines the relevance of doctoral graduates in today’s rapidly evolving job market, particularly within industries such as agriculture, where practical expertise and adaptability are essential. While doctoral programmes traditionally emphasize research and theoretical knowledge, they often fail to equip graduates with the hands-on, industry-specific skills needed to address real-world challenges. In agricultural value chains, for instance, the ability to apply advanced research to optimize production, supply chain management, sustainability practices, and technological advancements is crucial. Without a strong foundation in these practical areas, doctoral graduates may struggle to effectively contribute to innovation and efficiency in agricultural systems. From improving crop yields through data analysis to enhancing logistics and distribution methods, agricultural value chains require professionals who can seamlessly integrate research with practical application.
What the ADVALUE Project targets to address
Co-funded by the European Union, the ADVALUE Project—Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Trans-disciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education—seeks to modernize doctoral education in agricultural and agro-environmental sciences at universities in Uganda and Kenya. This initiative aims to enhance trans-disciplinary skills to promote the development of sustainable agricultural value chains, addressing pressing challenges such as food insecurity, unemployment, and climate change.
Project partners include; Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Germany (NGU); German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (DITSL); Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU); Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU); Makerere University, Uganda; Uganda Christian University (UCU); University of Nairobi, Kenya (UoN); Pwani University Kenya (PU); Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, Uganda (RUFORUM). Associated Partners: European Alliance in Agricultural Knowledge for Development, Belgium (AGRINATURA); National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda (NARO); National Council of Higher Education, Uganda (NCHE); Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO); Ministry of Education Science and Technology Kenya (MoEST). The project PI is Prof. Dr. Heinrich Schüle. In Uganda, the project is coordinated by Prof. John Tabuti.
Project objectives
- Develop innovative courses on trans-disciplinary research methodologies and value chain analysis within doctoral programmes.
- Strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure research is demand-driven and fosters innovation.
- Enhance the expertise of both academic staff and doctoral students.
- Improve quality assurance frameworks and development processes in doctoral education.
To achieve these goals, ADVALUE is developing four modules for PhD students that will be integrated into the curricula of the partner universities in Kenya and Uganda, taking into account the experiences and expectations of local stakeholders and potential future employers. The modules will include topics on scientific work, trans-disciplinary research, rangeland management, and agricultural value chains. The collaboration and exchange between the universities and representatives from the working environment, government organisations and international partners aims to strengthen the career prospects of postgraduate students in East Africa and promote their expertise with regard to the local requirements for achieving the SDGs.
The ADVALUE interim conference
The project team held an interim conference at Makerere University on 17th-19th March 2025 to evaluate the state of PhD education in agriculture, incorporating diverse insights from both European and East African perspectives. The conference brought together academic staff, students, and leaders from partner institutions, associated organizations, and key stakeholders in the Agricultural sector.
The conference aimed to highlight the progress and findings of the project, offering a platform for discussing PhD research on agricultural value chains within higher education institutions (HEIs). A key focus was on trans-disciplinary approaches, as well as fostering dialogue on quality criteria for PhD programs. Additionally, the event served as a formal meeting for the project’s Steering Committee and provided an opportunity for partners to refine their assessments of doctoral education in line with established quality standards and institutional contexts.
Presentation by Mr. Joseph Nkandu on the Agricultural Value Chains in E.A
In his address on the sustainability of agricultural value chains in East Africa, Mr. Joseph Nkandu, Executive Director of NUCAFE (Uganda’s national umbrella organization for coffee farmers), emphasized the vital role that higher education plays in strengthening and advancing agricultural value chains. He stressed the importance of aligning education with the region’s broader development goals to ensure that future generations of agricultural professionals are equipped with the necessary skills for sustainable growth. “Education must become more practical and closely integrated with the region’s development objectives,” he noted. He praised the initiative, noting that the project would greatly enhance doctoral training at partner institutions, empowering students with advanced knowledge and skills to support and sustain agricultural value chains across East Africa. “The sustainability of Africa’s value chains is essential if we are to meet the demands of the growing population,” he added.
Uganda’s agricultural value chains are a cornerstone of its economy. However, several challenges threaten their sustainability, including climate change, which affects crop yields and water availability; inadequate infrastructure, which hinders market access; limited access to finance for smallholder farmers; land degradation; and insufficient technology adoption. Moreover, pest outbreaks and post-harvest losses further undermine the efficiency and profitability of agricultural systems. Tackling these challenges is essential to improving the sustainability and resilience of Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Remarks from NCHE
In her remarks, Prof. Mary Okwakol, the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, emphasized the critical role of doctoral training in driving societal progress. She explained that advanced research and innovation resulting from doctoral programmes not only contribute to academic advancement but also pave the way for ground-breaking discoveries. “These discoveries, in turn, play a pivotal role in shaping and transforming nation-states by addressing pressing challenges, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for communities.” Prof. Okwakol called for continued investment in doctoral education to harness its potential for national development and global competitiveness.
Highlighting the challenges related to Doctoral training, the Deputy Principal of CAES, Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze, noted that the project was timely and would greatly strengthen the research capabilities of doctoral students, ensuring that their skills are more aligned with current academic and industry needs, ultimately improving the overall relevance and impact of their research outputs. “As Makerere University strives to become a research-intensive institution, the importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. This project will make a substantial contribution to this goal.”
Engagement with smallholder farmer in Matugga
During the conference, the project team had the opportunity to visit the farm of Mr. Sam Mpiira, a dedicated smallholder farmer located in Matugga, within Nansana Municipality. The visit allowed the team to gain first-hand insight into Mr. Mpiira’s farming practices, observe the challenges he faces, and better understand the impact of various agricultural initiatives in the region. This experience was an important part of the conference, as it provided a real-world context to the discussions on smallholder farming and rural development.
Key Issues Arising from the Workshop
- Overemphasis on theoretical science: While science is extensively studied, its practical application remains problematic.
- Outdated supervision: Many PhD supervisors are not up-to-date with current research trends. There is a need for educational frameworks that align with the latest development agendas.
- Technician mentality among graduates: A significant number of PhD graduates tend to think like technicians rather than innovators. Many struggle to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired and lack the ability to think creatively.
- Lack of innovation: There is a notable absence of innovation among doctoral graduates, which hinders progress.
- Evolving skillsets in value chains: There is an urgent need to address the changing skillsets required across different value chains.
- Unrealistic PhD programme durations: The prescribed durations for PhD programmes are often unrealistic and fail to reflect the complexity of the research process.
- Competing priorities: The multiple demands on students’ time hinder their ability to complete doctoral studies in time.
- Financial barriers: Limited funding continues to undermine the success and sustainability of doctoral training programmes.
- Lack of student commitment: Some doctoral students exhibit a lack of commitment and dedication to their studies, impacting their success.
- Negative student attitudes: Students often display an underestimation of the role and guidance of their supervisors, which affects their academic progress.
- Inadequate research facilities: Limited access to essential research facilities hampers the quality of doctoral research.
- Weak analytical skills: Many doctoral students lack the necessary analytical skills to perform at the required level of their academic discipline.
- Gender-based challenges: Gender roles negatively impact the performance and progression of female doctoral students, limiting their academic potential.
- Supervisory workload: Excessive workload on supervisors affects the quality and effectiveness of their mentorship.
- Need for relearning in value chains: Achieving sustainability in value chains demands continuous relearning and adaptation.
Recommendations
- Dedicated study leave: Doctoral students should be granted leave from other responsibilities to focus fully on their research.
- Creating research spaces: Institutions must create dedicated, conducive workspaces for doctoral students to foster collaboration and focus.
- Increase funding opportunities: More scholarships and financial support should be made available to PhD students to ease financial barriers.
- Research-oriented supervision: Supervisors must establish and maintain active research agendas to ensure they remain relevant and effective in guiding students.
- Strengthen institutional collaboration: Encouraging greater collaboration between Higher Education Institutions can foster exchange of ideas and resources to enhance doctoral research outcomes.
Photos from conference activities
More photos at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cZwlLXt5YBWoeMfO0wVbdva0NLIQ5sHr
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/107GJR6nCZJwKjmfrwveGXw7As2AhAQWt
Agriculture & Environment
Mak Launches Urban Futures Project, Unveils Handbook on Urban Heat Management
“Toward health equity, inclusive governance, and climate adaptation in African Informal Settlements”
Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo and the University of Manchester, on 6th March launched a new project titled: The Urban Futures Project: Toward Health Equity, Inclusive Governance and Climate Adaptation in African Informal Settlements, and Urban Heat Risk Awareness Raising and Knowledge Exchange. The Urban Futures project is the first learning lab initiated to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange amongst the various stakeholders and inclusive decision-making process that addresses complex challenges faced by informal settlements in Kampala.
Project Partners: Makerere University, University of Waterloo and the University of Manchester, Institute of Development Studies, Sierra Leon Research Centre, Training and Research Support Centre, Government of Uganda, Kampala Capital City Authority, Act Together Uganda, and Focus for Life Development Link.
Unveiling the Urban Heat Management Handbook
During the launch event at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, the Urban Heat Management Handbook was unveiled to help raise awareness and promote knowledge exchange on heat stress. The handbook covers critical topics such as understanding heat resilience, assessing heat risk, planning for heat resilience, responding to heat waves, and providing solutions for heat resilience.
The Urban Futures project will highlight the multifaceted risks faced by informal residents and workers, aiming to create South-South learning opportunities to address these inequitable threats. The study will focus on vulnerable populations in informal settlements and workers, seeking to identify equitable adaptation pathways to address climate risks that exacerbate health disparities.
Project Approach
The project will adopt a collaborative approach involving diverse stakeholders, focusing on developing health adaptation strategies, building resilience, and fostering growth through knowledge co-generation, continuous learning, evaluation, and improvement. The research will be conducted in three large African cities on the frontlines of climate change: Kampala (Uganda), Freetown (Sierra Leone), and Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). Through interdisciplinary and participatory methods, the study will gather evidence on how climate-related risks impact the daily lives of residents and workers in these areas.
Key Remarks
In his opening remarks, Dr. Paul Mukwaya, Head of the Department of Geography, Geo-informatics, and Climatic Sciences, described the learning lab as an essential space for dialogue among stakeholders in informal settlements. “The Urban Action Lab is our space to discuss urban development challenges together as a community, to find effective solutions,” he said.
Ms. Anita Kusiima, representing the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), spoke about the challenges posed by attitudes toward enforcement. “KCCA has initiated strategies like greening, skilling, and livelihood programs. However, we struggle with enforcement. Until statistics like these are shared with communities, people don’t realize how much we are destroying our environment. It’s common to wake up and find over 40 trees have been cut down overnight. In places like Nakasero, many trees are cut during the night. As a country and a city, we face not only poor attitudes toward the law but also towards the quality of life we want to achieve,” she said. “Urban farming has seen success at the household level, greening has been effective, and school programs aimed at raising awareness have also been successful.”
Dr. Robbinson Kabanda, a Veterinary Doctor at KCCA, emphasized the learning lab’s potential in addressing issues such as budget cuts and the impacts of climate change on Kampala. “With budget cuts affecting many funded activities, this is a great opportunity for Kampala, where the majority live in informal settlements and are especially vulnerable to climate change,” he said. “These collaborative spaces foster innovation and experimentation in urban contexts, bringing together various stakeholders and practitioners to address complex urban challenges through shared learning.”
Mr. Hakimu Ssevviiri, from the Research Urban Action Lab, highlighted the power of the urban learning lab in addressing urban challenges through collaboration, innovation, and community engagement. He emphasized the importance of urban resilience, improved decision-making, and public involvement.
Issues highlighted at the Launch
- There is a critical need for timely interventions to address heat stress and other challenges facing informal settlements.
- Informal settlements lack sufficient space for tree planting.
- Trees take time to mature, making them a long-term solution.
- Reducing electricity costs and improving water access are immediate priorities.
- Solar energy use is vital for reducing heat stress, particularly in households.
- Strong government policies on heat stress, such as promoting the use of mosquito nets, are essential.
- Wetland degradation and tree clearance are major contributors to heat stress.
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