By Leo Odera Omolo.
Lake Victoria is among the African water bodies drying up due to environmental degradation and climatic changes, a report released last week by the UN Environment Programme.
The report noted that the loss of tress and wetlands, which form the Lake Victoria water catchments, was partly to blame for the receding shoreline.
“Over 75 per cent of wetlands have been significantly affected by human activities and 13 per cent is severely degraded.
The report noted that the Lake Victoria water levels started dropping considerably in the year 2002.
As a result, the shoreline retreated by over 100 meters and there has been no significant improvement six years later.
Rapid population growth, leading to over exploitation of resources, poses a major threat to Africa’s Lakes and most of the fresh water reservoirs, the report pointed out.
It went on stating that in recent decades, the rate of population growth estimated as 7 percent within 100 kilometers around the Lake Victoria catchment area had outpaced the continental average, reflecting growing dependence and pressure on the Lakes.
“If they are not managed properly, the continent’s lakes face loss if sustainability for fare generations.”
Another water body that the report cited was Lake Chad, which it said shrunk by 95 per cent in the last 35 years due to climate effects and human activities.
On the way forward, the report recommended a faint effort in managing the lakes by countries and called for better monitoring of human activities.
Meanwhile reports from the Ugandan Capital Kampala say the price of fish has continued increasing due to high transport costs and low production.
The Financial Controller of Uganda Fish Parkers Mr. James Chandran was quoted by the influential Daily, THE NEW VISION, as saying the high demand on the International and markets has led to scarcity due to competitiveness among various Companies.
“We also incur high freight charges, which have forced many firms to close.”
He said a Kg of fish is charged USD 1.83 from Entebbe to Europe while Kenya charges USD 1.60.
He said they export 360 tonnes of chilled products and 200 tonnes of frozen products monthly.
“One can now compare how much we pay from Entebbe to Europe and from Kenya to Europe. That is why fish Companies have resorted to going via Busia to Export their products cheaply through Kenya”
Ends.
Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
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Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:38:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: UN REPORT SAYS LAKE VICTORIA IS ON THE VERGE OF DRYING UP.