Financing Research for Environment and Livelihoods Security;

Potentials, Challenges and Experiences from Lake Victoria Research Initiative

Financing Research for Environment and Livelihoods Security;

Potentials, Challenges and Experiences from Lake Victoria Research Initiative

C.S. Sokile & Z. A. Ogutu

Background….Background….

VicRes was established in 2002Housed within IUCEAFunded by SidaSince the project started, it has funded

– 380 senior researchers and – about 110 assistant researchers, – in the 84 funded projects– Each project @ $50,000/ year for 3

years

Goals & objectivesGoals & objectives

Goals of VicRes is to – promote sustainable livelihood and natural resources

management in the Lake Victoria Basin and – re-invigorate research and stimulate discussions on

issues that affect people and environment of the Lake Victoria Basin.

The program has twofold objectives; – to enhance knowledge on land-human-

environment interactions so as to justify interventions relevant to poverty reduction and environmental restoration, and

– to promote access to research findings in and outside the East African region for effective decision-making.

Scope Scope

Aquaculture and fisheries research cluster (11 projects)

Ethnobotany and indigenous knowledge research cluster (20 projects)

Land use options research cluster (20 projects)

Natural resource management and planning research cluster (20 projects)

Pollution/Heavy metal research cluster (13 projects)

Sharing experiences; benefits of networking and teamwork in researchSharing experiences; benefits of networking and teamwork in research

it offers opportunity to nurture team spirit it guarantees knowledge sharing and

learning from each other it offers learning from leadership styles it offers opportunity for joint research

planning in the process, researchers gain multi

disciplinary skills, which is important for their professional lives

Benefits…Benefits… researches are exposed across sites in other

countries – different environment and culture it offers opportunities for establishing new contacts sharing/ accessing facilities in other universities and

research stations is made possible there are complementarities in disciplines involved in

the study it offers a wider scope in addressing research

problems its interesting and fun junior researchers benefit from encouragement and

guidance from colleagues each member benefits from learning how to reach a

compromise

Challenges Challenges

absorption, adoption and use of research knowledge

Packaging of findings to influence policy

Other challengesOther challenges difficulties in communications- delays in responses from

team members limited time dedicated for research- some researchers

busy with other duties reduced budget compared to inflation harmonizing methodologies between different

researchers disagreements on budget lines among researchers difficulties in scheduling activities misunderstanding about the roles of team members getting members from different countries and

universities to meet getting research clearance slow pace of some researchers delays in releasing funds by universities and research

stations.

Global trends in financing environment and health researchGlobal trends in financing environment and health research

Section % GDP

Global R & D expenditure 2.5%

Industrialized countries 2.9%

Developing countries 0.6%

Sub-Saharan Africa 0.4%

Uganda 0.2%

Table 2; Percentage composition of pollution studies in VicRes funded research, 2007

Year Allocation (US $) Total (US $) % of Total

2003 175,143.0 524,770.0 33.4

2004 87,928.0 819,352.0 10.7

2005 126,899.0 1,041980.0 12.2

2006* 86,910.0 749,082 11.6

The funding methodologyThe funding methodology

Year 1, US $ 50,000

Year 2, US $ 50,000

Year 3, US $ 50,000

Teamwork and ParticipationTeamwork and Participation Team leader; this is a senior scientist, preferably

with PhD in the field of study, who heads the team. Team members; 2-3 other members from different

countries and/or universities. Research assistants; 2 per project, who must be

enrolled for Masters or PhDs in host organizations. Communities that host the study, who host the

study and must be involved in the study for them to get to know what is being researched right from the beginning of the project.

The host institution where the researchers are based. An administrative fee of 5% if allocated to the host institutions

Dissemination of pollution research findingDissemination of pollution research finding

Evidence of pollution research uptake; selected casesEvidence of pollution research uptake; selected cases

So far 27 journal papers, 31 papers in workshop and conference

proceedings, 11 posters, and 7 brochures has been released for

dissemination

Case 1: Transferring Soil Carbon Sequestering (SCS) Best Management Practices (BMP) to Smallholder Farmers in Lake Victoria Catchments Ecosystem

Case 1: Transferring Soil Carbon Sequestering (SCS) Best Management Practices (BMP) to Smallholder Farmers in Lake Victoria Catchments Ecosystem

In 2006 advocated for a need for public investing in water access, for tree nursery rising. The matter was communicated to the Busia District in Kenya.

In 2007, the district issued guidelines for tree planting at the district or sub district level, which incorporated the idea (Shisanya et al, 2007).

The project also advocated to the Forestry Department in Kenya to develop National Strategy for germplasm Supply.

Recent communications (pers. comm, 2007) indicate that the ministry responsible for forestry is in the process of commissioning the development of the strategy.

Case 2: Hg levels in Lake Victoria at Lwangni, Dunga and Sondu Miriu (Kenya), Murchison Bay, Kirinya, Wundaybay, and Masese (Uganda), by characterization of wetlands and sampling of fish species

Case 2: Hg levels in Lake Victoria at Lwangni, Dunga and Sondu Miriu (Kenya), Murchison Bay, Kirinya, Wundaybay, and Masese (Uganda), by characterization of wetlands and sampling of fish species

found that levels of Hg are somewhat elevated BUT not critical to human health.

The findings indicated that Hg levels in tilapia and lungfish islow.

In Nile perch, the levels are low in Murchison Bay, higher in Sondu Miriu (200ng/g) but still within the WHO advisory safety limit of 500ng/g.

Isotope levels in all fish species tested K-40 levels were detectable (419 + 06Bq/Kg in Tilapia and 453 07 in Nile perch.

Levels of Cs-137 and U-238 were below the level of detection (Muwanga & Barifaijo, 2006).

Argument: it’s a matter of time before the levels become critical, The results were shared with fisheries research institutions in

Uganda (FIRRI) and Kenya (KEMFRI). A local NGO, OSIENALA has picked up the issue. As part of

the response, a state of art laboratory has been set up in Kisumu at the Lake Victoria Basin Authority offices for further analysis.

Case 3: The nature, concentration and deposition rates of heavy metals and other heavy pollutants from mining and other human activities in Mara River

Case 3: The nature, concentration and deposition rates of heavy metals and other heavy pollutants from mining and other human activities in Mara River

The findings indicated that there are elevated levels of Zn, Cu, Cd and Hg in wetlands downstream of mining areas of Mara River

Heavy metal tolerance by bacteria from effluents discharged in the wetlands was demonstrated in laboratory analysis where many bacterial strains showed mild levels of resistance of Zn, Cu and Hg.

64% of the isolates showed anti-biotic multi-drug resistance (MDR) when tested against ampicilin, tetracycline, nalidixic acid, streptomycin and gentamycin (Ikingura et al, 2006; Barifaijo et al, 2007).

These findings have been communicated to the ministries of Health and Mining.

Tanzania in mid 2007, through the ministry responsible for mining started revising mining contracts to make it a requisite that mining companies, including the North Mara Gold Company to treat effluents.

Case 4:Effects of herbicides..Case 4:Effects of herbicides.. Analysis of the organochlorine residues in soils & sediments, fish

muscles, and the surface water (Nyangababo, et al, 2005) Generally low levels of the organochlorines were detected in the

studied samples at levels below the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs).

More recent analysis of water from Katonga (Ug), and Nyando(Ky) rivers indicated very low levels of the organochlorines with mean concentrations ranging from 0.003-0.03 ug/L in Katonga, 0.005-0.08ug/L in Simiyu and 0.001-0.1ug/L in Nyando wetland

The insignificant levels in fish in these studies may reflect the role of the wetland in the loading of such pollutants, or that farmers are opting for other biodegradable pesticides like the organophosphates, pyrethroids and carbamates, and not organochlorines, or the fish caught in the river mouth were too young to have accumulated much of pesticides.

However, it is also wise to presume that the accumulation of theorganochlorines may increase with time, becoming potentially dangerous.

These findings have been shared with the National Environmental Agencies (NEMA in Kenya and Uganda and NEMC in Tanzania), although feedback for action is still awaited.

Case 6: Heavy metals in fish samplesCase 6: Heavy metals in fish samples Higher levels of Mn, Zn and Cu were measured in the trend Mn

>Zn > Cu in the fish samples. Previous studies show that Mn is less toxic to fish as compared to

Cu and Zn. In juvenile longfin dace, Agosia chrysogaster the toxicity of

copper (96-h L.c.50= 0.86 mg 11) and zinc (96-h L.c.50 = 0.79 mg 11) to the fish was similar but both were considerably more lethal than manganese (96-h L.c.50= 130 mg 11) (Nyangababo, et al 2005b).

The acute toxicity of copper, zinc and manganese and copper-zinc and copper-manganese mixtures were determined for juvenile longfin dace, Agosia chrysogaster in hard water bioassays (mean=218 mg 11 CaCO3).

Copper-zinc was the most lethal toxicant (96-h LC 50 = 0.21 mg 11 copper and 0.28 mg 11 zinc) and exhibited a more than additive toxicity which was in contrast to the additive toxicity of copper-manganese mixtures (96-h L.c.50= 0.45 mg 11 Copper and 64.0 mg 11 Manganese) (Nyangababo, et al 2005a). More or less the same trend was noted by Muwanga & Barifaijo (2006)

Mean Concentrations of the trace elements in fish from SimiyuwetlandMean Concentrations of the trace elements in fish from Simiyuwetland

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Gills Liver Heart Gonads Muscle

Fish organ

Conc

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(ug/

g dr

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cu Zn Mn

Standard Deviations of the mean Concentrations of trace elements in fishStandard Deviations of the mean Concentrations of trace elements in fish

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Gills Liver Heart Gonads Muscle

Fish organs

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cu Zn Mn

Figures above….Figures above…. show mean values and standard deviations for Cu,

Mn and Zn concentrations in the liver, gills and muscle of Oreochromis niloticus.

In all tested fish the highest concentrations were found in gills>liver>.heart and lastly the muscle.

The study done by Nyangababo, et al (2005) showed that the higher concentrations in gills are just temporary for fish exposed to high levels of such pollutant.

However for low concentrations this is the trend. The liver plays an important role in metal

sequestration, because heavy metals may be bound to metallothioneins (Cu, Zn, Cd) or other ligands

Conclusion Conclusion Action Research has a room to shape decisions and

behaviors of target clientele. Attaining this desire, however, is not easy since many

challenges have to be overcome. There must be a sustainable approach to both funding

and conception of research idea for the research impact to last long.

Poor countries like the Eastern African ones can benefit through joint multi-interdisciplinary teaming approach. Such collaborative efforts have potential of leveraging resources, capacities, equipment and researchers time.

Sustainability of local research and improved quality and standard of findings, and feedback loop, can be best and conveniently built through networking and collaboration which is best offered by multi-inter disciplinary approach.

RecommendationsRecommendations Research supporters and grant makers should give

more emphasis on action oriented research methodologies that have potential of restoring environment, healthy wellbeing and poverty reduction.

Grant makers in particular should focus on specific research themes that are capable of solving community problems in short term.

Researchers should be encouraged to work together across disciplines and geographical/ institutional boundaries so as to obtain benefits from shared limited resources and solicit wider acceptance of their findings from decision makers.

Policy and decision makers on the hand, should not only be at the receiving end but be active participants in the process, as they also seek information.

Thank you

Asante Sana