The Sio-Malaba-Malakisi River Basin Management Project (SMM Project) is one of the RBM projects identified for preparation as one of the three River Basin Management Projects.
The SMM catchments —Lower Sio and Middle Malaba—shared between Kenya and Uganda face serious problems, primarily, deteriorating water quality. There are water scarcity problems in the northern parts of the catchments. Degradation of water resources and the widespread poverty of the inhabitants are linked. The thrust of reforms in both Kenya and Uganda has promoted decentralization of functions, responsibilities and resources from the central to regional and district local governments. This Project supports these reforms by strengthening basin level WRM and building capacity at all levels.
SMM project in collaboration with Lake Victoria North Catchment Area and Kyoga Water Management Zone organized a joint community training sessions for eight groups namely Komiria Water Resource User Association, Kadanya Water Resource User Group, Kagala Water Resource User Group, Ochato Water Resource User Group, Alupe A Water Resource User Group, Alupe B Water Resource User Group, Osukuru Water Resource and Management Association (WRUA), Nanguba WRUA. The group consists of members from the middle Malaba and lower Sio sub catchments. The first session was held on March 9-14, 2014 and the second training on March 23-28, 2014.
The main objective of the training was to strengthen capacity at sub catchment local level of the relevant groups and institutions responsible for water resources management and development in the SMM catchments.
This community training aimed at:
- Enhancing knowledge and skills of community members in watershed management and climate adaptation,
- Enhancing cross border stakeholder involvement in shared water resources management hence contributing to regional cooperation and
- Support the process of developing the lower Sio and Middle Malaba sub catchment management plans.
The training was part of the capacity building program necessary for preparation of the sub catchment management plan for the middle Malaba and Lower Sio sub catchments and targeted communities within the Lower Sio and Middle Malaba sub catchment within the Sio Malaba – Malakisi sub basin.
It attracted a total of 53 women and 55 men from both sub catchments. The plans when developed will guide the local communities in planning and management of the watersheds which will contribute towards addressing catchment degradation issues but also enhance livelihoods of the com munities.
The training covered several topics including group organization & management, overview of WRUA development cycle, soil and water conservation, introduction to water pollution and point sources of pollution, solid waste handling and management, improved agricultural production, introduction to joint community water resources planning and management, financial management , resource mobilization, stakeholder participation & analysis, introduction to IWRM, agro forestry-establishment and management of, livestock development, catchment based water resources management and simple government of Kenya and Uganda procurement procedures.
It is envisaged that the knowledge and skills imparted to the communities will substantially enhance watershed management through knowledge transfer to the wider community but also enhance regional integration.
Cosmus Muli
Assistant Project Manager
Sio-Malaba-Malakisi Project,
Kakamega, KENYA