Applied Research Programme for Lake Victoria Basin

Abstract

The Lake Victoria basin is a very strategic zone for the socio-economic development of East Africa. Heavy degradation of the environment, pollution of water resources and loss of biodiversity both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are increasingly threatening this strategic resource. The underlying causes of these problems are many and varied and they include poverty, poor know-how and expanding human activities. The LVEMP was therefore conceived to address the major threats facing the basin. The main development objective of the LVEMP is to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable socio-economic development of the riparian states. The project purpose is to lay the foundation for: • Maximizing the sustainable benefits to riparian communities from using resources within the basin to generate food, employment and income, supply of safe water, and sustain a disease-free environment; • Conservation of bio-diversity and genetic resources for the benefit of the riparian and global community; • Harmonization of global and regional programmes in order to enhance efforts directed at reversing environmental degradation; • Promotion of regional cooperation amongst the East African countries