Author:

Keywords:

wetland, governance

Abstract:

This study was conducted within the framework of the VLIR-OI project with the aim of making contributions to the Diagnosis and Remediation of Land Degradation Processes in the Riparian Zone of Lake Victoria Uganda in view of reducing sediment pollution of the Lake Waters. The conservation and management of wetlands in Uganda is devolved from the central to the local level, which shifts the main responsibility for wetlands to the local governments. Decentralisation of natural resource management is said to have some considerable benefits for a more sustainable management of the natural resource, but it also has some drawbacks that can hinder successful management. Despite the importance of wetlands for Uganda, they are seriously degrading due to converting them into agricultural farm land. The study seeks to investigate whether or not decentralised governance is beneficial for sustainable wetland management and in which way wetland management can be improved from a stakeholders’ perspective in light of the current farming systems and practices and their contributions to land degradation and pollution of the Lake Victoria waters in Uganda. The study used a mixed methods approach that is, qualitative and quantitative and is based on the Institutional theory. Findings from the study indicate though decentralisation of wetland management was intended to bring out sustainable mechanisms for wetland management, it was revealed in this study that over 80% of the respondents cited lack of coordination, lack of awareness about the decentralised policy among the various stakeholders, lack of enforcement mechanisms and political interference among the challenges the policy is facing.