BLUE | ECONONY | STRATEGY

KAMPALA - After months of back-and-forth deliberations, consultations and research, the Government has finally adopted a draft national Blue Economy (BE) strategy and has committed to implement it for the benefit of the over five million people whose livelihoods depend on the sectors involved in the BE.

The strategy, which proposes interventions for conservation and sustainability of fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic ecosystems.

With several revisions for three days by key BE stakeholders from various ministries, the Government, through ministers: Bright Rwamirama (agriculture state), Aisha Sekindi (water and environment state) and works ministry representative by transport director Benon Kajuna, on February 22, 2023, validated the country's BE strategy. 

The ministers, therefore, adopted the goals and objectives to guide the planning and development of the BE sector in Uganda as a basis for the National Blue Economy Strategy.

BE relates to the sustainable use and conservation of aquatic resources – oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, wetlands, ground water – to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods and create jobs, while ensuring protection of the environment, cultural values and biodiversity.

While delivering his address at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Rwamirama said the fisheries subsector makes a highly significant contribution to Uganda's BE.

"Over the last 20 years, the fishing industry has taken a strong position in the economy and is currently number two to coffee in agricultural export earnings. It is estimated that along the value chain, about 5 million people are directly dependent on fisheries for livelihoods and income," Rwamirama said.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which supported the development of the strategy with funding from the government of Sweden, through the water ministry, says due to a lack of institutional capacity and given the socio-cultural context, BE resources generate less than 20% of their value.

Eshete Dejen, the Program Manager Sustainable Environment Protection at Intergovernmental Authority for Development during Validation workshop of National Blue Economy strategy of Uganda at Speke Resort Munyonyo on February 21, 2023. (All photos by Mary Kansiime)

To realise the potential of the BE and maximise the benefits for wealth creation within Uganda, requires that the multiple links between the BE sectors be strengthened through a strategy.

Therefore, in order to make the best use of the BE resources and services, Uganda's strategy if well-implemented, IGAD says, is expected to put Uganda among the top landlocked countries with a high BE-based economic development.

IGAD executive secretary Workneh Gebeyehu, who was represented by IGAD head of mission Lucy Daxbacher, commended the Government of Uganda for supporting the process of developing the strategy and said IGAD states have a great BE potential that is underdeveloped for wealth and development.

She added that the BE strategy is aligned to that of IGAD and the African Union's development strategies.

The workshop, which brought together officials from IGAD, the ministries of foreign affairs, works, water, tourism and energy.

The strategy

According to a declaration, the strategy has the following four core goals:

Goal 1: Upscale advocacy and awareness across government and other stakeholder categories to raise the profile and relevance of BE to national development and transformation.

Goal 2: Establish national governance and co-ordination platforms to ensure that the processes and practices through which BE resources are developed, managed and utilised are jointly decided upon and regulated.

Geoffrey Dheyongera Principal Fisheries Officer Resource Management at Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fishes during Validation workshop of the National Blue Economy strategy of Uganda at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

Goal 3: Strengthen capacities and knowledge management of relevant institutions and actors for enhanced appreciation and prioritiSation of BE.

Goal 4: Develop strategies and innovative approaches for resource mobilisation for the acceleration and implementation of priority BE interventions.

Question of sustainability

During the validation exercise, Rwamirama said: "The majority of our fisheries resources that is captured is through wild hunting instead of fish farming which has a lot of potential to increase the fish harvested."

He, therefore, said the Government has, among others made concerted efforts to plan and support aquaculture through establishment of aqua parks and creating enabling environment for private sector investment in aquaculture and the control of aquatic fish weeds.

Rwamirama decried what he called the unsustainable mining of sand in Lwera on the Kampala-Masaka highway, which he said is also destroying critical fish habitats and, therefore contributing to dwindling fish stock.

"Lwera: The filter for Lake Victoria is getting invaded and you know that filter leads to breeding areas of fish. We call upon the environment ministry to intervene," he said and added that the ministries are now coming together to address 'this problem'.

Continuous co-ordination key

Sekindi said the water ministry will continue to play the coordinating role in the BE sector ministries and players to actualise the objectives of the strategy.

She implored the technical teams 'to come up with realistic timeframes and action programmes to jumpstart the implementation of the strategy'.

Transport state minister Fred Byamukama, who was represented by Kajuna, called for the exploration of more initiatives that can help diversify the country's exports and increase on trade, which include the development of both water and road transport.

He also called for having a strategy with timelines to ensure that it is implemented.