Gerald Tenywa and Ben Okiror
31 October 2007
Kampala — THE annual population growth rate, estimated at 7% around Lake Victoria in East Africa, is the highest in Africa, according to a report released on Tuesday.
According to the report titled, "Africa Environment Outlook-2, Our Environment Our Wealth", Africa's population was growing at an average rate of 2.5% annually.
"We live in the most populated area of Africa," said Charles Sebukeera, an expert from the United Nations Environment Programme based in Nairobi, Kenya.
"This is because most urban centres are located around Lake Victoria and opportunities around like fishing have attracted migrants to the area."
Sebukeera, who was speaking after the launch of the report by state minister for environment Jessica Eriyo at Hotel Africana in Kampala, said the soil around the lake was fertile and suitable for agriculture.
The report stated that population growth presented a challenge because of the increased demand for food, leading to encroachment on protected areas. "In absence of alternative livelihood opportunities and strategic management of the environment, this rapid population growth and urbanisation has resulted into environmental degradation," it said.
It warned that the population growth rate was higher than the economic growth, which undermines development efforts aimed at improving livelihood and sustainable use of the environment.
In the last two decades, fresh water resources have been exposed to severe pollution and that has encouraged growth of weeds like the water hyacinth on Lake Victoria.
The population increase has also led to massive encroachment on the wetlands and the continued disappearance of forests on private land and gazetted forest reserves. "This should be taken seriously since the water level has dropped by more than a metre," said Sebukeera.
In addition, the country's wetlands are also still threatened by pollution, unplanned development, and agriculture, Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, the director of the National Environment Management Authority, said.
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