Integrated Lake Management

Lessons

Integrated Lake Management: the approach

Integrated lake management brings together government and communities to plan and manage lake resources through an integrated and co-management approach. Key lessons from developing and implementing the approach include:

1. Lake resources, poverty reduction and gender equity: The ILM approach has promoted poverty reduction and gender equity objectives throughout its design and implementation. The approach incorporates not only environment and natural resources management, but also wider social and economic aspects of development in the planning and management of lakes resources for improving dependent livelihoods and reducing poverty.
2. Fisheries co-management: Fisheries co-management forms part of integrated lake management. It is recognised the world over that centralised approaches to fisheries management have not prevented fish stocks from declining and livelihoods being threatened. Fisheries co-management approaches are being adopted extensively in Uganda to improve fisheries governance, resource productivity and livelihoods.
3. Project support as an agent for change: The experience of the ILM project provides evidence of the essential role a well designed project can play in the development process where changes in policies, legislation, institutions, attitudes and practices are needed at many levels.