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Enhancing wetland ecosystem services
through integrated aquaculture production
systems at the shores of Lake Victoria
Julius Kipkemboi1, N.Kitaka1 , J.M Mathooko2, A.A van Dam3 & P. Denny3
1Egerton University, Kenya 2Global Research Akademik and Mentoring Services (GRAMS),
Nakuru, Kenya 2UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands
CONFERENCE ON INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM AND WATER
MANAGEMENT IN THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN
REGION OF KENYA.CONFERENCE
, DATES: 3rd Feb. 2015
VENUE: KISUMU HOTEL -MASENO UNIVERSITY , KENYA
Extensive conversion
of wetland margin for
crop production
Increasing pressure
on natural biomass
harvesting
Wetland loss
Owino and Ryan (2007)
estimated wetland loss
around Winam Gulf at 43%
Courtesy of UNEP
Threat to wetlands
Wetland provisioning services
• Wetlands provide the conditions for growing food.
• Food comes principally from managed agro-ecosystems
• Wild foods from wetlands often underestimated.
Wetland supporting Services
• Wetlands provide habitats for species;
• Habitats provide everything that an individual plant or animal needs to survive; food; water; and shelter.
• Wetlands provides different habitats that are essential for a species’ lifecycle.
• Many fish depend on wetlands for spawning
Concept
• Based on flood recession fishery
Concept…
Integration into existing systems
Subsistance farming
Fingerpond system
Wetland wise - use
Enhanced socio - economic benefit
Sustainable productivity
from wetlands
HOUSEHOLDS
Manure Waste
Fingerpond systems – natural system, dry season
Fingerpond systems – natural system, wet season
Fingerpond systems – contruction and flooding
Fingerpond systems – in use
Research objectives
Explore the potential of enhancing food production from natural
wetlands to improve livelihoods
Investigate the integration of Fingerponds into the existing farming
systems as a way of encouraging sustainable use of floodplain and
littoral wetlands
Winam gulf
Where was this study conducted in Kenya?
Community participation
Scientific data collection
-Biophysical suitability
-Socio-economics
-Nutrient flows
-environmental impact monitoring
Research activities
Biophysical suitability
Clayey wetland soils suitable
for aquaculture
Ponds are adequately stocked
naturally by annual floods in
the wetland: fish densities > 3
fish /m2
Predominantly 3 species of
tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)
Nyangera
Oreochromis spp. 70%
Haplochromis spp. 24%
Others 6%
Kusa Clarias gariepinus
16%
Others 7%
Oreochromis spp. 77%
Others
Clarias gariepinus
Aplocheilichthys sp
Ctenopoma muriei
Protopterus aethiopicus
Others
Protopterus aethiopicus
Aplocheilichthys sp
Ctenopoma muriei
Pond hydrology and culture period duration
1. Flood water harvesting (inundated Fingerpond)
2. Pond isolated (fish census and start of season)
– No inflows and outflows
3. Critical water depth marks the end of season (harvest)
1
2
3 5-6 months
Pond hydrology and culture period duration
Seasonal Pond water
budget model
Fingerponds production
Fish yields: average 20 kg per
approx. 200 m2 per season
Vegetable yields averaged
340 kg of kales (sukuma wiki)
per year per approx. 200 m2
Comparison of protein supply per unit area by
different farming enteprises
0
50
100
150
200
250
Cereals Legumes Vegetable Fruits Sweet potatoes
Ruminants Arrowroots Fingerponds
Pro
tein
su
pp
ly (
kg
/ha
/yr)
0
1
2
3
4
5
wetland
vegetables
papyrus rainfed
agriculture
kitchen
garden
livestock sale of
labour
Fingerponds
Me
dia
n r
an
kin
g
Natural Physical Human Social Financial
0
1
2
3
4
5
wetland
vegetables
papyrus rainfed
agriculture
kitchen
garden
livestock sale of
labour
Fingerponds
Me
dia
n r
an
kin
g
Natural Physical Human Social Financial
Household activities and livelihoods
Based on DFID Sustainable Livelihood Assessment (SLA)
Monitoring of possible environmental
impacts
Total nitrogen
Total phosphorus
Species change limited to weeds
of arable cultivation in the
vegetable gardens
No indication of leaching of
nutrient-rich pondwater into the
immediate wetland groundwater
Distance (m)
Pond 0.5-2.0 5.0-7.0 10.0-50.0
Concentr
ation (
mgl-1
)
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
a a a
b
Distance (m)
Pond 0.5-2.0 5.0-7.0 10.0-50.0
Concentr
ation (
mgl-1
)
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
a
ab
ab
b
Implementation challenges
–Fingerpond siting
Flood regime
Pockets of sodic soils
–Uncertainty of water supply and natural fish stocking
–Excessive reproduction by tilapia
–Low adoption rate
Potential for application/scaling up
–Community support- BMUs
–Adaptive approach Ponds at the fringe can be used for re-stocking lake fishery
–Policy and guidelines on sustainable wetland use Trade off between different ecosystem services
Conclusion and recomendation
Fingerponds can be used to enhance wetland provisioning services and habitat functions.
Like any innovative approach there are challenges but these can be overcomed by adaptive management.
There is need to include such sustainable approaches in wetland policy with clear guidelines for communities and decision-makers.
Acknowledgement
European union Fingerponds project
(Contract no. ICA4-CT-2001-10037)
Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya
Fingerponds scientists and local communities
at the respective study sites
International Foundation for Science, Stockholm, Sweden and Swedish International Development
Cooperation Agency Department for Natural Resources and the Environment (Sida NATUR),
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (Grant no. W/3427-1)