The First Living Lakes African Regional Conference Pre 11th World Lakes Conference

“Our Lakes, our Livelihoods” Sustainable Management of African Lakes

Lake Victoria ICIPE Center

Kisumu – Mbita, Kenya 27 – 30 October 2005

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First African Living Lakes Regional Conference In preparation for the 11th World Lakes Conference to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from 31st October – 4th November 2005, the Living Lakes network will hold the first African Living Lakes Regional Con-ference at Lake Victoria from 27th to 30th of October 2005. This will be the first time NGOs working on lakes management and conservation in Africa meet. The event will act as Pre-11th World Lakes Conference. NGOs and International Agencies dealing with the management of lakes are encour-aged to participate in this important and unique event. Most lakes in Africa and elsewhere in the World have almost similar problems, but of different situations and with totally different approaches in solutions. Those problems include:

• Water pollution • Ever growing population that threatens wetlands and fish resources etc. • Rampant poverty amongst the lakes riparian communities • Conflict arising from sharing of resources, boundary and piracy • Environmental degradation as a result poor land usage.

In general, NGOs in Africa have played a leading role in supplementing government efforts in the management of forests and other resources. The NGOs dealing with lake management can equally play a leading role in helping the governments manage their lakes and conserve biodiversity. This conference will therefore assist towards this endeavour by:

• Bringing together most of the organizations in the management of African lakes and provide them with an opportunity to plan and focus the African agenda on lakes management.

• Providing participants from the African Region with an opportunity to interact with their coun-terparts from other continents and compare their experiences on Lakes management.

• Providing the participants with the rare opportunity to enjoy the Lake Victoria environment and the hospitality of its communities as well as learning about sustainable community based pro-jects during field visits.

• Promotion and exchange of know how and experience of renewable energy technology in order to conserve natural resources and improve standards of living of lake population.

The joint conference will comprise 30 external participants from the African region and we expect that over 20 representatives from the lakes in the rest of the world will participate. It will be hosted by OSIENALA (Friends of Lake Victoria) in conjunction with representatives of Lake St. Lucia in South Africa and the Global Nature Fund. The event will take place at Kisumu City and Prof. Tho-mas Odhiambo Center (Mbita ICIPE Center) on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Mbita Township: The Conference hosting place

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Fees, Registration and Cancellation Policy

Normal Conference Fee: 395 US $ per participant Reduced Conference Fee for NGOs: 350 US $ per participant The Conference Fee includes the following expenses: • Full board for shared rooms (max. four overnights) • Free participation in Opening Workshop on Renewable Energy • Local shuttle service and bus transport during the field trips • Trip to the Islands by motor boats • Admission cultural performances Note that the cost does not include participants’ airfares from Nairobi Kisumu and return. Partici-pants are encouraged to purchase their air tickets. NGO Discount Representatives of charity, non-profit, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can obtain the dis-count only if legal registration is proved by certificate.

Cancellation Policy/Refund Payment in full must accompany registration form. Cancellations are required in writing and must be received on or before September 1st 2005 for a full refund, and before September 30th for a 50% refund. Cancellations received on or after September 30th are non-refundable. Refunds will be paid after the convention. You may contract travel cancellation expenses insurance at your local travel agency.

Registration: With the attached registration form or at www.globalnature.org/africa

Organizers: The First African Regional Living Lakes Conference 2005 is hosted by the Global Na-ture Fund (GNF) and the OSIENALA-Friends of Lake Victoria. Headquartered at Lake Constance, Germany, the Global Nature Fund is an independent, international non-profit foundation for the protection of the environment and nature. The Living Lakes partnership was launched by GNF in 1998. In 2002, the OSIENALA representing Lake Victoria became a member of the Living Lakes Partnership.

Communities use water of Lake Victoria for domestic cores.

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Wednesday, 26th October 2005 – Arrival Day Arrival of the international Conference Participants Check in at the Imperial Hotel in Kisumu – Registration for the Conference

Thursday, 27 October 2005 – Opening Day

Opening Workshop: Renewable Energy for Lake Regions OSIENALA in cooperation with Global Nature Fund will host this workshop with a focus application and financing of renewable energies technologies. The workshop will be a key opportunity for repre-sentatives from the public and private sector as well as from NGO to discuss measures and lessons learned in the introduction of renewable energy technologies. The transferability of strategies among developing countries and between North and South will be addressed. A guided field trip to project sites will be offered to the conference participants during the First African Living Lakes Regional Conference. The workshop is co-funded by the German the German Ministry for Environment, Na-ture Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). The participation in the workshop is for free.

Workshop Programme

Location: Conference Room of Imperial Hotel, Kisumu

Moderation: Prof. J.O. Shiundu

8.00 – 8.20 Opening Remarks – Dr. Obiero Ong’ang’a, Director OSIENALA

8.20 – 8.45 Official Opening of Workshop - Mr. Okumu Makologa, Assistant Director of Fisheries

8.45 – 9.30 Introduction: Improving the Standard of Living and Conserving Natural Re-sources through Renewable Energy – OSIENALA’S Lake Victoria Energy Pro-gramme - Prof. Herick Othieno, OSIENALA

9.30 – 11.00 Presentations and Discussion: Solar Lamp for Omena Harvesting: An Innovation that will change the Liveli-hood of the Fisherfolks of Lake Victoria - Dr. Andrew Oduor, OSIENALA

11.15 – 11.30 Coffee Break

11.30 – 12.00 Improved Fish Smoking Kilns for the Conservation of wood-fuel in the Lake Victoria Region – Dr. Achola Kapiyo, Coordinator UHAI Lake Forum Closing Remarks - Stefan Hörmann, Global Nature Fund

Training course for fishermen on solar technology at the OSIENALA Research Centre.

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10:00 – 12:00 Arrival and Check-inn at Imperial Hotel, Kisumu, for delegates not participating in the opening workshop.

12:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 18:00 Official Launching of the Lake Victoria Center for Research and Development “OSIENALA” at Dunga Beach, Kisumu City

Presentation of the Center • Prof. Achola Pala Okeyo, Chairperson OSIENALA Board

Welcome Remarks Prayer by Bishop Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede

Presentation of Greetings from other Lakes Worldwide • Dr. Andrew Venter, Lake St .Lucia, South Africa • Adelina Santos-Borja, Laguna de Bay Philippines • Stefan Hoermann, Lake Constance, Germany • Meiying Liu, Poyang-hu, P.R. China • And other lakes represented

Collaboration between OSIENALA and GNF/Living Lakes. • Dr. Hendrik Hoeck, Member of Board, Global Nature Fund

Supporting Wildlife Conservation in Africa • Rick Anderson, Director, African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, USA

Addresses by the Provincial Commissioner Nyanza, Kisumu MPs and Kisumu Mayor

Speech and Launching the Center by H.E. Ambassador of Sweden to Kenya • H. E. Bo Goransson

18:00 – 20:00 Dinner at Yacht Club, Kisumu • Hosted by Her Worship Prisca Auma, Mayor of Kisumu City

30 Million people live at Lake Victoria and its catchment. Most of them fishermen.

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Friday, 28 Oct. 2005 – Sustainable Management of African Lakes

07:00 - 08:00 Breakfast

08:00 - 10:00 Opening of Conference with Keynote Speeches at Imperial Hotel • Welcome Remarks

- Prof. Herick Othieno, Secretary OSIENALA Board

• Opening of the Conference - Nehemiah Rotich, Senior Programme Officer (Biodiversity), Regional Office for Africa, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Sustainable Management of African Lakes - The Case of Lake Victoria - Rolin Nzomo, Lake Basin Development Authority

• Living Lakes- Case Studies from a Worldwide Network for the Sustain-able Management of Lakes and Wetlands - Udo Gattenloehner, Executive Director, Global Nature Fund, Germany

• The Role of ILEC in the Sustainable Development of Lakes - Prof. Shinji Ide, International Lakes Environment Committee (ILEC)

• Role of Sida in Sustainable Development of Lake Victoria Basin - Elphas Ojiambo, Programme Director, Lake Victoria Initiative, Embassy of Sweden, Nairobi

10:30 - 11:00 Coffee & Tea Break

11:00 - 12:30 Sustainable Development and Management of African Lakes Case studies • Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia and Burundi

- Mr. Muhimbwa

• Lake Nyasa - Lake Malawi, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania - Mr. Kinny Ntambale

• Lake Kabaka, Uganda - K. Mukasa

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch

13:30 - 18:00 Guided Tour to ICIPE Centre with stop overs at - Kit Mikayi Cultural Site - Lwanda Kotieno – Solar Lamps and Fish Smoking Kilns • Guide: Peter Mireri

- Mbita Township 18:00 - 19:00 Registration at ICIPE Center

• Welcome Remarks by Prof. Dr. Christian Borgemeister, Director of ICIPE

19:00 - 20:00 Dinner and Cultural Performance Hosted by ICIPE

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Saturday, 29 Oct. 2005 – Fishing and Renewable Energy

6:30 - 7:30 Breakfast at ICIPE

08:00 - 13:00 Boat Field Trip on Sustainable Fishing and Ecotourism Perspec-tives • Bird Watching at Bird Islands

• Presentation and discussion with fisherfolks during visit to Takawiri Is-lands on fish handling and sustainable use of fish resources

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch at Governors Lodge • Cultural Presentation and Discussion on Eco Tourism at Governors

Lodge

14:00 - 16:00 Return to ICIPE via Mbita Causeway • Inspection of Causeway: Impact of the Causewax on the Lakes Ecology

(Mbita Town Council)

16:00 - 18:00 Presentations: Sustainable Management of African Lakes • Lake St. Lucia, South Africa

- Dr. Andrew Venter, Wildlands Conservation Trust, South Africa

• Lake Tana, Ethiopia - Dr. Eshete Dejen, Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopia

18:00 - 21:00 Dinner & Cultural Dance • Hosted by the Suba Council/ MbitaTown Council and DC Council

21:00 - 22:00 Excursion Renewable Energy for Fisher Folks - Solar Lamp & Fishing Demonstration • Prof. Herick Othieno, Osienala, A project supported by the German Minis-

try for Environment, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusam-menarbeit (GTZ) and the Foundation Landesstiftung Baden-Württemberg.

Fisherboat on Lake Victoria

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Sunday, 30 October 2005 Experiences from other Lakes and Departure

06:00 – 07:00 Breakfast

08:00 – 10:00 Visit to Mbita Iceplant (Non African Participants only)

08:00 – 10:00 Meeting of the African Lakes Representatives

10:00 – 12:30 Presentations on Experiences from Living Lakes Partners world-wide • Laguna Fuquene, Columbia

- Dr. Hendrik Hoeck, Fundacion Humedales, Columbia

• Poyang-hu, P.R., China - Meiying Lui, MRLSD, China

• Laguna de Bay, Philippines - Adelina Santos-Borja, Laguna Lake Authority, Philippines

• Lake Lake Madugang, Lake Madampe, Sri Lanka - Ajitha Pasan Ulluwis Hewage, Nagenahiru Foundation, Sri Lanka

Closing of the Conference • The District Commissioner, Suba District

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 17:00 Trip to Kisumu - Departure from Kisumu

Birds of Lake Victoria – Birdwatching is part of the excursion

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General Information

Short History on Kenya: Kenya is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world situ-ated in the east cost of Africa. It covers 582,000 km2 with a population of about 30 million people. This comprise mainly of 42 indigenous tribes. The national and official languages are Swahili and English respectively. Kenya boasts of many lakes, e.g., Lakes Victoria, Naivasha, Nakuru, Bogoria, Baringo, Jipe and Turkana. Nairobi is the capital city located at about 1820m above the sea level. Due to its high altitude, Nairobi experiences a pleasant sunny temperature. Kenya is home to pres-tigious game parks such as Tsavo and Masaai Mara. More information on Kenya can be found in www.kenyaweb.com.

Lake Victoria: Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh water lake in the world and is dabbed the heart of the continent of Africa. A source of the river Nile, it has a surface area of 68,800km square, which covers three countries, Kenya Uganda and Tanzania. More information can be accessed via www.osienala.org.

Weather in the Lake Basin: The lake basin has a humid weather of about 30oC during the months of September and October. It is recommended to wear light and casual clothes for the field trips, although warmer garments are needed for the night excursion. Comfortable yet sturdy footwear is recommended for travelling, as it will often involve some walking. Don’t forget to bring sun lotion.

Airports: The main international airport serving Nairobi is the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), a special desk will be put kin place to facilitate smooth immigration and other arrival formali-ties. The airport is equipped with modern facilities for the convenience of travellers including Bu-reau de change, banks, restaurants, communications etc. Kisumu airport will serve as the destina-tion terminal from Nairobi.

The World Lake Conference: The world lake conference is a biannual conference, co-organised by ILEC and the local host country. For more information, please visit www.ileckenya.go.jp Time Zone: GMT +3 hours

Money: Unit of currency is Kenyan Shilling Kshs. Exchange rate Ksh 75= 1 US-$ or 1 EUR = Kshs 130. ATM is available at the banks in Kisumu.

Visa requirements: and other details please see www.ilec.go.ke

Accommodation: Imperial Hotel, Jomo Kenyatta Highway. P.O.Box 1866,Kisumu, Kenya, Tel: +254-(0)57-2020002/2022211/7, 2022661-7, 202227, Fax: + 254-(0) (057)2022687, Web: www.imperialkisumu.com; ICIPE; Mibita Town, Kenya,Tel: +254 (20) 8632000, Fax: +254 (20) 8632001/8632002, Web: www.icipe.org

Saving oppor-tunities and microcredits for the people of Lake Victoria at Osienala Beach Bank.

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Hosts and Contact Addresses of Conference Team

OSIENALA OSIENALA (Friends of Lake Victoria) Contact Person: Dr. Obiero Ong’ang’a Lake Victoria Center For Research and Development Dunga Beach, Kisumu P.O. Box 4580, 40103 Kisumu, Kenya Tel: + 254 - 57 – 2023487, Mobile: +254 – 733 - 717124 Fax: +254 – 57 – 2021992 E-mail: osienala@swiftkisumu.com, oonganga@swiftkisumu.com Website: www.osienala.org

Global Nature Fund (GNF)

International Foundation for Environment and Nature Fritz-Reichle-Ring 4, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany Phone: + 49 - (0) 77 32 - 99 95 - 80 / - 85, Fax: + 49 - (0) 77 32 - 99 95 – 88 E-mail: info@globalnature.org, Website: www.globalnature.org; www.livinglakes.org

Conference and Project Supporters Conference Supporter

Project Supporter