Marine spatial planning for sustainable use of Lake Victoria

Cooperating countries: Kenya, Uganda, Austria

Coordinating institution: Maseno University, Kenya, Oscar Kambona Ouma, kaudo2015@gmail.com

Partner institutions: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria), Nkumba University (Uganda)

Project duration: 1 April 2022- 31 March 2024

Abstract:
Lake Victoria is a shared water resource faced with growing environmental stress that threatens to stifle the ecological services it provides and socio-economic activities. It supports about 35million people who live within its hydrological footprint. The lake as a resource is shared by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and covers approximately 68,800 km2. Currently, a spatial plan for the lake is non-existent. A project is proposed under the Austrian-African Research Network comprising of Maseno University (Kenya), Nkumba University (Uganda) and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Austria) to undertake a research that will lead to spatial planning of Lake Victoria.

The partnership aims at facilitating  mutual transfer of knowledge, research expertise and skills that will ultimately address development gaps especially in the South. The study will address the following research questions: (i) How has the land use and land cover changed over time around the Winam (Kenya) and Jinja(Uganda) Gulfs respectively?; (ii) What will be the projected impacts of land use and land cover changes on water quality of Lake Victoria?; (iii)What is the seasonal variations in water quality characteristics within the Winam (Kenya) and Jinja (Uganda) gulfs?; (iv) How do the water currents affect the dispersion of the pollutants in Winam(Kenya) and Jinja (Uganda)gulfs?; (v) How does Lake Victoria water quality influence anthropogenic activities within Winam(Kenya) and Jinja(Uganda) regions respectively? and (vi) What are the policy, legal and institutional gaps in the governance of Lake Victoria Resources?

The resultant information will be used to train critical mass of professionals to address varied issues to ensure sustainable spatial planning and management of the lake. The generated knowledge will be shared with the governments of respective countries and other stakeholders to inform policymaking with regards to spatial planning and management of Lake Victoria.