USAID GRANTS EAC $ 3 MILLION TO SAVE THE MARA
– We have all made a contribution to the environmental degradation, it’s time now for all of us to contribute to the solution, says Dr Rotich
submitted and forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo
EAC Headquarters, Arusha, 23 September 2009: The East African Community (EAC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) today signed, at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, a three-year Funding Agreement for three million dollars to help the EAC Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) ensure that the Mara River Basin , already in jeopardy, is brought under sound management.
The Funding Agreement, provided under USAID Africa’s “Trans-boundary Water for Biodiversity in the Mara River Basin ” initiative, was signed by Dr Julius Rotich, EAC Deputy Secretary General (Finance and Administration) for the EAC and Mr. Larry Meserve, USAID/East Africa’s Acting Regional Director.
The Executive Secretary, LVBC Dr Tom Okurut, Deputy Executive Secretary (Projects and Development), LVBC Mr. Samuel Gichere and the EAC Corporate Communications Expert, Mr. Magaga A lot attended the signing ceremony. The USAID Acting Regional Director was accompanied by Dr. Candice Buzzard, USAID East Africa Director, Regional Economic Growth and Integration ( Agriculture, Trade and Environment); and Mr. David Kinyua, USAID Regional Environment Procedures and Policies Specialist.
At the signing ceremony, EAC Deputy Secretary General, Dr Julius Rotich stressed the importance of the Mara River Basin ecosystem that is commonly referred to as one of the “great Wonders of the World” and which is now under threat. Dr Rotich welcomed the support from USAID/EA and emphasized that the support will go a long way to reverse the negative environmental trends that have taken place in the basin.
Dr Rotich said the USAID’s support was timely when environmental issues, in particular global climate change, were topical and affecting the lives of all the people. “ You don’t have to spend a lot of time trying to convince the people about the environmental devastation that is being experienced…rains are failing, rivers are drying up or getting polluted as we all watch… We have all made a contribution to the environmental degradation and now all of us have to do something about it”, he said.
Dr. Rotich said the environmental rehabilitation intervention should be rooted in the ground for it to succeed. He said that unless people at the grassroots embraced the environmental movement, in every household, in the rural and urban areas, and in the educational systems, from the primary schools to the universities, planting trees and ensuring that re-forestation takes place, environmental conservation projects, however grandiose, would not succeed.
USAID’s Acting African Regional Director, Mr. Larry Meserve emphasized livelihoods in Kenya and Tanzania would be severely affected unless the citizens of East Africa put in place structures and measures that will manage their watershed ecosystems. He said the Funding Agreement on the protection of the Mara was an expression of USAID and international partners’ commitment to work through and strengthen African regional organizations in addressing global development challenges. He said USAID looked forward to long term partnership with LVBC and other EAC institutions and programmes in working toward the realization of the EAC’s commitment to creating regional economic growth, trade facilitation, and food security, among other common objectives.
Under the Funding Agreement, the EAC’s Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) will facilitate and promote sustainable cross-border Mara River Basin Management by facilitating stakeholders, including Tanzanian and Kenyan government agencies, to implement the project’s 2009 Biodiversity Action Plan already adopted by EAC Ministers, to address threats to biodiversity hotspots in the Mara River Basin and identify ways to sustainable management of these habitats.
Working with all stakeholders including governments, private sector and regional organizations, LVBC will implement the project’s 2008 Mara River Environmental Flows Assessment that provided analysis to establish the legally binding minimum river reserves necessary to sustain human water requirements and ecosystems conservation. The LVBC will also work to increase regional economic growth and integration and reduce poverty in the Mara Basin , and harmonize policies for the conservation of this globally treasured area.
The LVBC realizes that the survival of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem is dependent on successful trans-boundary management of these natural resources and will strive to establish a trans-boundary agreement to ensure water flows to sustain the biodiversity of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and encourage implementation of harmonized river basin management practices and policies. To facilitate cross boundary management of natural resources in the Mara Basin , the programme has brought together forestry, water, wildlife and agricultural sectors for dialogue and action.
Mara River Basin : With headwaters in the Mau Forest , the Mara Basin watershed extends from Kenya to northern Tanzania (encompassing Serengeti National Park and the Masai Mara Game Reserve. The Mara River Basin also makes up part of the eastern rim of the larger Lake Victoria Basin area. Wildlife anchoring Kenyan and Tanzanian tourism rely on the healthy functioning of this uniquely integrated and rich ecosystem for their existence–and the survival of this ecosystem depends on the flow of the Mara River .
The Mara River ’s diminishing water resources are now a major threat to the Mara River Basin ecosystem: less water flowing in the Mara means less drinking water for wildlife and pastoral communities; significantly increased potential for conflict; and diminishing economic returns through tourist related activities.
East African Community (EAC) is the regional intergovernmental organization of the Republics of Kenya, Uganda , the United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Rwanda and Republic of Burundi and is based in Arusha , Tanzania . Partner states of the EAC signed a 2003 Protocol on Sustainable Development of the Lake Victoria Basin .
Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) was established in 2005 and is based in Kisumu , Kenya . The LVBC’s vision for the region is “A prosperous population living in a healthy and sustainable management of the environment, providing equitable opportunities and benefits.”
USAID/East Africa is a regional mission with offices in Nairobi . Its goals are to promote improved regional cooperation, increase trade, competitiveness and food security, reduce conflict and improve the health and quality of life for all in the region.
ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
Directorate of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs
EAC Secretariat
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From: Leo Odera Omolo
Date: Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 6:33 AM
Subject: USAID GRANTS EAC $ 3 MILLION TO SAVE THE MARA;
EAC COMMUNITY NEWS FROM ARUSHA, TANZANIA