Integrated Lake Management

Themes

Planning for integrated lake management: participatory and integrated planning processes

Lake management plans

Both LAGBIMO and LAKIMO have lake management plans, which are the operational plans of the organisations. The plans were developed through participatory processes to ensure wide ownership and inclusion of community priorities. The Lake George Basin Management Plan (LGBMP) was developed and approved in 2003 and Lake Kyoga Management Plan (LKMP) was approved in August 2004.

Key components of the management plans

The management plans have similar components. These are:

• Capacity building of LMO structures, including BMUs
• Improving planning and management informed by fisheries, environment and socio-economic information collection and use
• Improving the delivery of, and access to, public services, facilities and infrastructure
• Fisheries management
• Environmental management, including wetlands

Improving the provision of sanitation, drinking water supplies, access to HIV/AIDS support services, health facilities and education is essential for fisheries communities, who are often neglected in terms of service provision. Many landing sites lack basic provision of facilities and services.

Implementation of the lake management plans

Implementation of the plans is through the following:

• Action by the standing committees, for example the Fisheries Management Committees have formed Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Units and local Fisheries Research Units.
• Integration of components into local government development plans through awareness raising and lobbying.
• Action by the BMUs through their own development and fisheries management plans.
• Implementation by development partners and national government, through the local government development plans.

Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of the plan is essential for assessing progress, identifying gaps, problems and opportunities and informing reviews of the plan. Both the LGBMP and LKMP have monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plans, which are closely related to the indicators and targets set out in the logical frameworks.