Water hyacinth removal extended to Rwanda, Burundi

Sep 28, 2009

AN Egyptian-funded initiative to remove water hyacinth on lakes Victoria and Kyoga is to be expanded to Rwanda and Burundi. Fisheries minister Fred Mukisa said the hyacinth, a water weed which invaded the two lakes a decade ago, had been brought under co

By Gerald Tenywa
AN Egyptian-funded initiative to remove water hyacinth on lakes Victoria and Kyoga is to be expanded to Rwanda and Burundi. Fisheries minister Fred Mukisa said the hyacinth, a water weed which invaded the two lakes a decade ago, had been brought under control.

However, over 1,000 tonnes of the weed still flow into Lake Victoria daily through River Kagera.

The hyacinth is believed to originate from Burundi and enters the lake through Rwanda and Tanzania.

“The renewal of this project shall this time seek to extend the cooperation to Rwanda and Burundi in the management of the water hyacinth in River Kagera that continuously feeds Lake Victoria with tonnes of weeds daily,” Mukisa said.

He was speaking during a press conference at the Media Centre in Kampala to discuss the implementation of the “Uganda Egypt Aquatic Project.”

It was attended by the Egyptian agriculture minister

The Egyptian government has provided technical and financial support for the removal of the water hyacinth for the last 10 years.

Mukasa also said the initiative would help to develop aquaculture and irrigation in the drought-prone parts of Sembabule and Lyatonde.

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