Financing Research for Environment and Livelihoods Security; Potentials, Challenges and Experiences from Lake Victoria Research Initiative

Transcription

1 Financing Research for Environment and Livelihoods Security; Potentials, Challenges and Experiences from Lake Victoria Research Initiative C.S. Sokile & Z. A. Ogutu

2 Background. VicRes was established in 2002 Housed within IUCEA Funded by Sida Since the project started, it has funded 380 senior researchers and about 110 assistant researchers, in the 84 funded projects Each $50,000/ year for 3 years

3 Goals & 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-humanenvironment 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.

4 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)

5 Sharing 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

6 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

7 Challenges absorption, adoption and use of research knowledge Packaging of findings to influence policy

8 Other 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.

9 Global 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%

10 Table 2; Percentage composition of pollution studies in VicRes funded research, 2007 Year Allocation (US $) Total (US $) % of Total , , , , , , * 86, ,

11

12 The funding methodology Year 1, US $ 50,000 Year 2, US $ 50,000 Year 3, US $ 50,000

13 Teamwork 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

14 Dissemination of pollution research finding

15 Evidence 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

16 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.

17 Case 2: Hg levels in Lake Victoria at Lwangni, Dunga and Sondu Miriu (Kenya), Murchison Bay, Kirinya, Wunday bay, 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 is low. 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 ( Bq/Kg in Tilapia and 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.

18 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.

19 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 ug/l in Katonga, ug/L in Simiyu and ug/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 the organochlorines 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.

20 Case 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 copperzinc 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)

21 Mean Concentrations of the trace elements in fish from Simiyu wetland 250 Concentrations (ug/g dry weight) Gills Liver Heart Gonads Muscle Fish organ cu Zn Mn

22 Standard Deviations of the mean Concentrations of trace elements in fish 30 Standard Deviations of the concentrations Gills Liver Heart Gonads Muscle Fish organs cu Zn Mn

23 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

24 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.

25 Recommendations 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.

26 Thank you Asante Sana