Government needs ugx 16 billion to fight kariba weed

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government requires up to 16 billion Shillings to get rid of Kariba weed, an aquatic fern that has blocked parts of Lake Victoria, the Kyoga basin, Lake Kwania, Lake Albert and the Albert Nile.

Agriculture Minister Vincent Ssempijja says the weed has reached alarming levels, affecting fishing activities, the quality and quantity of water from the water bodies, hydro power generation, tourism and water transport, among others.

Ssempijja says that the weed grows in form of a mat which chokes waterways, blocking sunlight and oxygen from reaching the waters below, outcompeting other water plants that are beneficial to insects and the fish. He adds that the weed affects fish breeding and nursery areas consequently reducing the fish stocks.

According to Sempijja, this new breed of weed adds to the water hyacinth problem which, although under control, has resurgence patterns that occasionally threaten the Uganda waters. But despite the challenges, Sempijja says that the government does not seem to have an immediate solution, let alone the capacity to fight the weed due to lack of equipment, funds and expertise.

He explains that the country has been employing biological strategies, which involve the use of Salvinia weevils, procured by the National Agricultural Research Organisation-NARO, and deployed on the lake to eat up the weed. The government is also manually removing and transporting the weed, albeit with little success.

Kariba weed is spread through viable pieces that are dispersed by water currents, unnecessary movement of fishing gear, boats, and vehicles from one lake site to another.

Ssempijja says that in the interim, the Ministry has sensitized communities in District Local Governments and distributed manual control equipment including wheel barrows, pangas, forked hoes, forked spades, and Life jackets, Hip waders, Hand gloves, Gumboots and rakes to 23 affected districts near Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert and Lake Victoria.

He says they are also trying to use other machinery from the Lake Victoria weed removal projects funded by the Egyptian government. Egypt has committed USD 230,000 for a one year pilot phase project to control the Kariba weed. The support is helping the ministry in modifying the existing hyacinth project equipment to suit the mechanical control of the Kariba weed.

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga directed the Budget commit to finding the funds to facilitate the ministry in eradicating the weed. She says Ugandans need to fight for Lake Victoria and the resources within it.

In early 2000, Ugandan water bodies were invaded by the Water hyacinth, another weed that posed great socioeconomic, environmental and health hazards to Ugandan Water Bodies, and fishing communities. However, the weed d infestation was reduced to manageable levels through support from the Government of Egypt.