| dc.description.abstract | Wetlands have a buffering role particularly the ones at the lake shore, functioning like living filters by removing dissolved and suspended pollutants, thereby contributing to keeping lake waters clean and clear. They also purify water by trapping micro-organisms which cause diseases like diarrhea and dysentery. Wetland plants stabilize soils at the water edges, dampen wave action and slow current speed, hence reduce soil/shoreline erosion. Moreover, they play an important role in flood prevention by acting as hydrologic sponges for storing flood waters temporarily and later releasing it slowly. They are also fish breeding grounds and their destruction interferes with fish spawning. Wetlands also provide socio-economic benefits to rural/local communities in form of water for domestic and irrigation purposes, plant materials as building materials, handcraft making materials and medicines. They form an important contribution to fisheries, game hunting, dry season pasture and communal wood fuel. In the Nyando basin wetlands play a very important role in the livelihoods of local communities, through their ecological, hydrological and socio-economic roles. Despite their importance, these
ecosystems are under immense pressure from the rural communities through intense agriculture, as well as from urban and industrial developers. They have been intensively cultivated and overgrazed. Their buffering capacity has hence been compromised through eutrophication, overexploitation of their resources, introduction of exotic species and unsustainable utilization for agricultural activities. This has resulted in their degradation and thus they can no longer perform their ecological and hydrological functions. Degradation of wetland ecosystems in the Nyando basin has resulted in increased soil erosion, more sediments getting into the lake leading to slow eutrophication and reduction in water quality, and reduction in water volumes in rivers, loss of potential for groundwater recharge or discharge, loss of biodiversity, aesthetic value and loss of traditional socio-economic benefits. The result is vulnerability of local communities because once a wetland is destroyed restoration may be very difficult and prohibitively expensive. In any case, restoration to the original socio-economic benefits and environmental values would be unlikely. This has had adverse effects on fish catches along the shores and unavailability of clean drinking water leading to prevalence of water borne diseases. The need for a sustainable intervention thus is imperative. This formed the basis for this project with a goal of contributing to improved water quality and supplies to rural communities and livelihoods through sustainable management of the wetlands. An Integrated Ecosystems Management Approach was a viable methodology to adopt in addressing some of these challenges within the basin. Activities undertaken within the project were focused on the protection, rehabilitation and sustainable use of wetlands. Trainings of local communities were done for their empowerment to take charge of their conservation and development agenda instead of leaving it to external agencies. Integrated approach principles were piloted on degraded areas, resulting in improved water quality and supplies, increased economic activities and rehabilitation of various ecosystems. The replication of this in other areas of the basin can thus provide a more sustainable management of these resources for supply of quality water to rural communities whilst improving their livelihoods. | en_US |