WLE East Africa (Nile)
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Item Assessing the Hydrology of a Data-Scarce Tropical Watershed Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool(Journal Article, 2017) Winfred, B. M.; Japhet, J. K.The hydrology of the Little Ruaha River which is a major catchment of the Ihemi Cluster in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SA-GCOT) has been studied. The study focused on the hydrological assessment through analysis of the available data and developing a model that could be used for assessing impacts of environmental change. Pressures on land and water resources in the watershed are increasing mainly as a result of human activities, and understanding the hydrological regime is deemed necessary. In this study, modeling was conducted using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in which meteorological and streamflow data were used in the simulation, calibration and evaluation. Calibration and evaluation was done at three gauging stations and the results were deemed plausible with NSE ranging between 0.64 and 0.80 for the two stages. The simulated flows were used for gap filling the missing data and generation of complete daily time series of streamflow at three gauging stations of Makalala, Ihimbu and Mawande. Results of statistical trends and flow duration curves, revealed decline in magnitudes of seasonal and annual flows indicating that streamflows are changing with time and may have implications on envisioned development and the water dependent ecosystems.Item Suitability maps for staple crops in south western Uganda(Poster, 2017) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsItem Report on capacity building on mainstreaming gender to lifeland partners(Journal Article, 2016) Sikira, A.The LiFELand Project team is very grateful to the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems in the Nile and East Africa Region for the financial support which enabled undertaking the Capacity Building on Mainstreaming Gender to LiFELand Partners in the Ihemi SAGCOT Cluster. We are obligated to a number of people without whom this task would not have been possible. We would like to express our most sincere gratitude to all officials and farmers consulted for their cooperation and sharing of information. We are indebted to the Regional and Local Government Authorities for their cooperation and assistance with the introduction letters to the villages and for providing us some basic information and data for their districts. We thank various investors, the NGOs and various Development Partners for providing information about their activities in the Ihemi cluster. We appreciate the support from TNC Project Management in particular Mr. Felix Kamau for being such a good project leader and for the cooperation. We thank our fellow project members from CIAT and the research assistants to the project. Finally, we thank all who in one way or another assisted in making this work successful.Item Ecosystem health and sustainable agricultural development in Ihemi cluster(Brief, 2016) Sirima, A.; Kadigi, R.M.J.; Kashaigili, Japhet J.; Kamau, F.; Sikira, A.; Mbungu, W.; Placid, J.K.Agricultural landscape provide a range of ecosystem services apart from producing crops. However, the inter-linkage of the ecosystem services and agricultural activities is poorly understood. For over 50 years, agriculture has been conducted without considering the natural ecological processes that safeguard agricultural production in the long run. To ensure that agricultural systems are sustainable, we have to make sure that the crucial ecosystem functions in the natural landscape are protected. Agricultural intensification, dramatic land use changes, application of agrochemicals and intensification of resource utilization are among the factors contributing towards biodiversity loss. The process of agricultural intensification is associated with an increase in labour inputs, increase use of natural and artificial fertilizer, use of improved seeds, change in technologies, change in agricultural mechanization & frequency of cultivation, changes to the landscape such as irrigation or soil conservation measures. The agricultural inputs, for instance, have altered the key-hydrological processes of rivers, lakes, floodplains and groundwater-fed wetlands, damaging their ecosystems and services that they provide. Agricultural intensification affects large parts of terrestrial area, therefore, assessment of its contribution to biodiversity loss is critical for successful conservation in the future. Irrigation, clearance of natural vegetation, and the construction of water storage facilities have all altered the timing and natural variability of water flows, damaging ground water recharge and wetland areas. It is claimed that agriculture in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) is developed in harmony with the naturalItem Gendered decision making in natural resources (Land and Water) for effective planning in the Southern agricultural growth corridor of Tanzania(Brief, 2016) Sikira, A.; Sirima, A.; Kadigi, R.M.J.; Kashaigili, Japhet J.; Kamau, F.; Mbungu, W.; Placid, J.K.Item Managing the microclimate(Report, 2016) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsItem Land fragmentation, agricultural productivity and implications for agricultural investments in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) region, Tanzania(Journal Article, 2017) Kadigi, Reuben M.J.; Japhet, J. Kashaigili; Agnes, Sirima; Felix, Kamau; Anna, Sikira; Winfred, MbunguThere are polarized evidences of the impact of agricultural land fragmentation on land productivity. On the one hand there viewpoints which consider land fragmentation to harm agricultural productivity. On the other hand there are counter thoughts which view land fragmentation as a positive situation which allows farmers to cultivate many environmental zones, minimise production risk and optimise the schedule for cropping activities. We use the case of Ihemi cluster in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT) to investigate the impact of land fragmentation on crop productivity. We furthermore discuss the nature and causes of land fragmentation in the SAGCOT region and its implication on the future structure of agricultural landholdings and welfare of smallholder farmers in the region. The results showed that the nature and level of fragmentation in the study area were the outcome of combined, rather than isolated influences of supply and demand driven factors. Overall, the results did not support the claim that fragmentation reduces land productivity. This then implies that land fragmentation should not always be considered as defective. There were evidences of increasing chunks of land owned by rich farmers and investors which increased the possibility for increased consolidation of agricultural land under large scale farming. However, the landholdings for smallholder farmers might become increasingly more fragmented as poor smallholder farmers continue selling their land holdings to rich farmers and investors. Releasing the SAGCOT region’s potential for agricultural development will require that smallholder farmers are helped to secure adequate and suitable land for farming, raise agricultural productivity, diversify their sources of income, and adopt good production practices. This requires setting up a strong base of investor - farmer synergies for inclusive agricultural growth.Item Guidelines for wetlands ecosystems valuation in the Nile basin(Book, 2016) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsEconomic valuation of wetland ecosystem services enhances informed public decision making concerning sustainable utilization of the ecosystem. The valuation is particularly crucial where the economic values of wetlands need to be compared directly against the monetary value of alternative public investments. Burullus lake is one of the most vulnerable areas along the delta’s, it is the second largest of the Egyptian northern lakes along the Mediterranean coast declared by Prime ministerial decree 1444 in the year 1998, a protected area. In 1998 Burullus Lake was approved as a RAMSAR site in Egypt, this report aim to clarify the main terms and methodology used by several guidelines to valuate use and non use ecosystem services, two questionnaires were prepared to conduct a new field work for further information about local communities satisfaction toward the fish capture as a market price method and bird watching as a travel cost method. In Mara wetland, Tanzania, economic valuation of ES derived from the wetland remains limited despite the fact that the wetland has been expanding landward over the last five decades. This study reviewed different economic valuation tools used in estimating economic values of wetlands, their limitations and selected the appropriate methods applicable in the case of the Mara wetland. In this case, market price-based methods were used to estimate their values. Other provisioning ES such as water and pasture for livestock however, are not for sale. The monetary values of water and livestock’s pasture were estimated by group valuation method through an FGD consisting of 23 people utilizing the services. Water purification ES of the wetland though assessed in this study was not valued directly to avoid double counting of the service. The willingness to pay for the water provision captures both water quality and quantity. The current (2015/2016) annual total economic value of Mara wetland in terms of provisioning and water purification ES is TZS 39,877,804.22 (USD18, 453.40) of which crop production contributes the highest (47%) value of the TEV while thatching grass contributes the lowest (0.1%). The dinder park of Sudan was declared a National Park at 1935, as Biosphere reserve at 1979 and was designated as Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar site) in 2005. The economic evaluation methods are mainly by direct use and market prices. The Total Economic Value (TEV) produced as result is (92944.22 USD) The economic importance of the wetlands is definite and this TEV is still limited if compared to the real benefits from the different Dinder wetland' ecosystems. In Nakivubo wetland, Uganda the direct use value of the main provisioning services of the Nakivubo wetland Local Communities (one household per hectare per year) is worth about 8,951,809.11Uganda Shillings ($14,833.88).Item Withering boundaries: Nile basin wetlands shrink as communities quest for life(Report, 2016) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsThe project research teams and consortium members would like to acknowledge that the research leading to (This Report) was carried out under the CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems in the Nile and East Africa Region with support from CGIAR Fund Donors. All the research activities under this project were carried out with funds under the project contract reference No. 4500025279. The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE) combines the resources of 11 CGIAR centers, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and numerous national, regional and international partners to provide an integrated approach to natural resource management research. WLE promotes a new approach to sustainable intensification in which a healthy functioning ecosystem is seen as a prerequisite to agricultural development, resilience of food systems and human well-being. This program is led by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and is supported by the CGIAR System Organization, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. https://wle.cgiar.org/research/regions/nile-and-east-africa The project partners also would like to express their sincere thanks towards Mr. Fredrick Mugira, a multiple award-winning water journalist and development communication specialist, who supported us in writing these articles.Item Why Valuing Wetland Ecosystem Services within the Nile Basin is Important for Wise Use(Brief, 2011) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsWetlands are important areas for social, cultural and economic benefits for local communities living in and around them. The Nile Basin region is endowed with rich and diverse wetlands supporting the livelihoods of millions of people covering 3% of the total Nile Basin area. Unfortunately, national and regional scale policies aimed at wetlands management in the Nile Basin region have not been inclusive of structures/frameworks or approaches that would contribute to evaluation of wetland ecosystem services to guide wise use of the wetland resources. In several cases, the implementation of these policies have focused on the direct benefits that can be realised from wetland ecosystems (an anthropocentric approach), thereby undervaluing the benefits of the wetlands. It is within this context that this policy brief explores the policy gaps, with the aim of providing policy recommendations based on empirical information. The overall recommendation therefore being the need to consider economic valuation of wetlands for the total value based on costs of alternatives.Item Guideline for sustainable management of wetlands in Ihemi cluster(Book, 2016) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsThe government of Tanzania is highly concerned with management of wetland hence it is fully committed to ensure that they are sustainably managed. In Tanzania, the wetlands are known to be nature’s water store on land which supports a number of sectors including agriculture, livestock, forest and wildlife providing vital ecosystems support. In general, wetlands in the Ihemi Cluster face a number of challenges which some of them affects the ecosystem and livelihood of communities. Agriculture being the major economic activity conducted in Ihemi Cluster has modulated the wetland, hence a guideline for sustainable management of the wetlands needs to be developed and implemented. Therefore this guideline provides an approach for enhancing management of wetlands sustainably for the present and future generations in the Ihemi Cluster.Item Harnessing floods toenhance livelihoods and ecosystem services project: research guide for inclusive development(Brief, 2015) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and EcosystemsItem Sustaining the benefits of soil and water conservation in the highlands of Ethiopia(Brief, 2015) Mekuria, Wolde; Chanie, Dessalegn; Admassu, Seifu; Akal, Adugnaw T.; Guzmán, Christian D.; Zegeye, Assefa D.; Tebebu, Tigist Y.; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Ayana, Essayas K.Item Low-cost measures can reclaim gullies and reduce soil erosion in the Ethiopian highlands(Brief, 2015) Addisie, Meseret B.; Alebachew, Azalu; Ayele, Getaneh K.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Hailu, Nigus; Mekuria, Wolde; Langandoen, Eddy; Steenhuis, Tammo S.Item Water-smart agriculture in East Africa(Book, 2015) Nicol, Alan; Langan, Simon J.; Victor, Michael; Gonsalves, Julian FrancisThe value of farming is on the rise again. After years of neglect, smallholder farmers—the lynchpin of rural production—are resuming their position as a major focus for development (World Bank, 2013). In part, this reflects a broad international consensus that land, soil, and water are part of an emerging 'critical nexus' of issues facing the world's population. By mid-century, around 9 billion people will require food security and much of this will still be derived from rural production systems, placing these systems at the heart of the sustainable development agenda. The high demand side driven by population growth is accompanied by uncertainty on the supply side: climate variability and associated rainfall extremes are changing farming practices, including those in East Africa (Kristjanson et al., 2012); already there are signs that future risk – and perception of risk – is shaping the current actions and decisions of rural populations. As atmospheric warming alters the boundaries of agroecologies and shifts the hydrological cycle, these impacts will intersect further with a range of other factors, including the spread of pests and vectors of human and livestock diseases. Political- institutional environments will, in turn, respond through policy in a range of sectors, shaping the ways in which future generations perceive and experience farming as a livelihood system.Item WLE Nile/East Africa focal region planning meeting(Conference Proceedings, 2013) CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems