Proposal for Annual Plan 2008

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WWFProject Proposal – Semuliki River Catchment and Water Resources Management Project

Project Name: / Semuliki River Catchment and Water Resources Management Project
Project Location: / Albertine Rift, Western Uganda (Kabarole, Bundibygyo, Kasese, Bushenyi, Rukungiri and Kibaale Districts) and Eastern DRC
Project Number:
Project Budget: / 2008 (from Norad):NOK 1,655,593(1 USD = 6.20 NOK)
Local Partner(s): / WWF Eastern Africa Region Programme Office (EARPO). Uganda: Local Governments in Bundibugyo, Kabarole,Kasese, Kyenjojo, Kibaale and Rukungiri Districts, Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), National Forestry Authority (NFA), Forest Inspection Division (FID), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC), NGOs, CBOs, private sector. DRC: to be identified later
Contact Person(s): / Dr. Musonda Mumba, Freshwater Programme Coordinator, WWF EARPO, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel.: + 254 20 577355, Fax: + 254 20 577389,
E-mail:
David Duli, Country Coordinator Uganda, WWF EARPO, Kampala, Uganda. Tel.: +256 041 540064/5, Fax: +265 041 531166,E-mail:
Marc Languy, WWF Albertine Rift Montane Forests Ecoregion Leader, WWF EARPO, Nairobi, Kenya. E-mail:
Svein Erik Haarklau, WWF-Norway. Tel.: + 47 2203 6500 / 9098 3369. Fax: +47 2220 0666. E-mail:
Start Date / Expected End Date:
Inception Phase: / 2008-01 / Inception Phase / 2009-06
Implementation Phase: / 2009-07 / Implementation Phase: / 2012-12

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WWFProject Proposal – Semuliki River Catchment and Water Resources Management Project

executive Summary
Introduction and background

The Semuliki River and its catchment area (33,500 km2) is shared between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).The catchment include a network of protected areas in the central Albertine Rift Montane Forest Ecoregion and covers large areas of ungazzeted forest landscape. The River originates from the Central African Mountains of Nyamulagira in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and flows through Lake Edward, entering the rift valley floor in the DRC on the western side of Rwenzori Mountains and finally the north-eastern end of the mountains where it becomes the international boundary between Uganda and the DRC before entering Lake Albert.The altitudinal range in the catchment is from about 600 m asl in the Semuliki flats to 5,109 m asl on the peak of the Rwenzori Mountains. The area has an exception biodiversity, being located in the centre of the ecoregion on mainland Africa with the most endemic vertebrate species.

The six ethnic groups living in the catchment to a large extent depend on the rivers for their livelihoods. The Bamba and the Bakonjo found in the valleys and mountains slopes are agriculturalists depending rain fed agricultural crops and the Batuku in the rift valley floor are pastoralists who depend on cattle products.The Batwa (pygmies) are forest dwellers who depend on hunting, fishing and gathering.

The catchment faces lot of threat due to increasing population and poor governance of natural resources. The major threats to the catchment are:

  • Deforestation
  • Poor land management practices
  • Deteriorating quality and quantity of the river waters
  • Weak institutional capacities on catchment and water resources management.

Climate change is a growing threat, with the rapidly receding glaciers of the Rwenzori Mountains as an illustration of what is happening. The changing river course of the Semuliki River may be an indication of the combined effects of catchment degradation and climate change.

The proposed Semuliki Project will provide support to the Governments of Uganda and Congo to implement innovative catchment and water resources management resources in the Semuliki River Basin. The Project is proposed to be implemented in two phases starting with an one and half year Inception Phase in which data and information gathering, awarenessraising, problem identification and mapping, among other things, will be carried out. This will lead to the development of a strategy for integrated water resources management in the identified and mapped catchments. A second phase, the Implementation Phase, of the Project will carry forward the initiated interventions during the Inception Phase and build capacity for implementation of catchment management plans including hopefully the establishment of transboundary mechanisms for catchment and water resources management even if this is challenging in the current political atmosphere. Embedded in the implementation of the Project are two studies, one at MSC and another at PhD level to boost the quality of data and institute professionalism based on scientific concepts in the management of water resources in the region.

Goal and purpose

The overall objective or goal, which the Project will contribute to but not in itself deliver, is:

“The ecosystem functions of the Semuliki River catchment
conserve water, biodiversity and other natural resources to meet
basic human needs and sustain ecosystem functions”.

The project purpose, which is what the Project will deliver during its lifetime, is proposed as follows for the Inception Phase starting January 2008 and ending June 2009:

“At least three sub-catchments feeding the Semuliki River are
identified, key stakeholders consulted and strategies for
integrated water resources management developed by mid 2009”.

Indicators for the Inception Phase purpose have been identified as follows:

- GIS maps of the catchment produced and in use by mid 2009.

- Strategy document for integrated water resources management in priority sub-catchments approved by DWRM in Uganda and relevant authority in DRC by end of 2009.

- Data base on catchment conditions established and used by mid 2009.

A preliminary project purpose has been developed for a potential Implementation Phase (July 2009 – December 2012), subject to the outcome of the Inception Phase:

“Mechanism for integrated water resources management
established for at least three sub-catchments feeding
the Semuliki River by the end of 2012”.

Indicators will be identified at a later stage.

Outputs

A set of outputs have been identified for the Inception Phase, some of which will continue into an Implementation Phase should this later be recommended, agreed upon and approved. These outputs are intended to produce the project purpose for the Inception Phase referred to above:

  • Output 1: Directorate of Water Resources Management, Districts local governments and other key authorities and organisations facilitated to collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate important information on catchment conditions, with particular emphasis on physical and environmental conditions of importance for water resources and biodiversity.
  • Output 2: Awareness of catchment natural resource issues with emphasis on water resources and biodiversity increased, including status, trends, degradation, legislation, policy and legal frameworks, and possible opportunities for improved management.
  • Output 3: Participatory approaches facilitated for problem and stakeholder identification and analysis; and action planning for catchment and integrated water resources management.
  • Output 4: A strategy for integrated water resources management in the identified catchments facilitated and developed.
  • Output 5: Capacity building needs identified and priority capacity building carried out with particular reference to integrated water resources management.
  • Output 6: Action needs in terms of natural resource management in the catchment identified under output 5 implemented.
  • Output 7: Mechanism for integrated water resources management piloted in three sub catchments identified under output 1.
  • Output 8: Trans-boundary coordination and cooperation mechanisms explored and established for catchment and water resources management on the DRC and Uganda sides of the Semuliki River Basin.
Project implementation arrangements

WWF-Norway has the overall responsibility for the Project and the administrative, financial and technical reporting to the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and provides policy and technical support to the Project. Implementation within the region and day-to-day-management of the Project is the responsibility of WWF Eastern Africa Regional Programme Office (EARPO) with its staff primarily in Uganda, backed by staff in the regional office in Nairobi and staff in DRC where WWF is also present.

The Project will work closely with government and non-government partners and stakeholder, initially in particular with the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM), the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the National Forest Authority (NFA) and the concerned district local governments in Uganda. Local communities, the main land users in the River Basin, will be key partners.

Budget

For 2008 WWF propose a direct project funding from Norad of NOK 1,532,957 (90 per cent), to be matched by WWF-Norway by NOK 170,329 (10 per cent). Norad’s administration grant of 8 per cent is equivalent to NOK 122,637.

More details are found in the main text below.

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