UGANDA: Lake Victoria degradation threatening livelihoods
KAMPALA, 1 August 2008 (IRIN): A few years ago, Charles Kyagaba used to sell up to 300 kg of fresh fish at the Gaba landing site near the Ugandan capital of Kampala each day, but now the situation is markedly different.
– These days, you sometimes go out there and come back empty-handed, he said, adding:
– My income has declined by over 70 percent and the impact on my familys livelihood is serious. I am struggling to make ends meet, trying to establish other businesses to balance the situation.
Generally, Kyagaba said, there was now less fish in the lake: – I have had to change my childrens schools to ones that I can afford, he told IRIN.
– The fishing business is no longer sustainable and many of my friends feel frustrated. I am thinking about selling some of my assets to diversify my options; I am beginning to fail to provide some essential needs for my family, he explained.
Kyagaba is not alone. According to environmentalists, over-fishing, pollution and other human activities along Lake Victoria as well as climate change are threatening to destroy Africas largest freshwater lake resource.
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