Policies on poverty and the fisheries sector in Uganda: the current policy trends

There are concerns, at least among the proponents of development, on how to link policy development processes in Uganda and the associated transformation of the poor to high standards of living. In fact some questions have been posed as to whether it's the absence of poverty-targeted policies that a good proportion of individuals or communities are still poor. In the fisheries sector where most of the fish dependent communities live, poverty indications are still prevalent although arguments have been put that current reforms in the sector have transformed the lives of the fish dependent communities. The 1999/2000 household survey report indicates that the poverty levels reduced to 35% of Uganda's total population from 44% in 1997. The question that arose, which still arises anyway, was to define who is actually poor. When measuring poverty one is ultimately interested in the 'standards of living' of individuals especially those, whose standards of living are inadequate. The basic element of measuring this inadequacy/adequacy, at least in Uganda, is to use the household income or consumption per adult equivalent. Studies have demonstrated that household consumption expenditure is a good approximation of household income1. Therefore, for purpose of this report, we define poor households to mean based on that that one adopted by the Ministry of Finance to mean "households whose expenditure per adult equivalent falls below the poverty line 3 ". Many government documents report that the poverty line is one dollar a day. Therefore someone is below the poverty line if he or she lives on less than one dollar a day. In this paper, we analyse the evolution of poverty-driven policies that have been put in place by government and how these policies are shifting or are likely to shift the lives of fish dependent communities. We argue that combinations of poverty-policies are being translated into increased incomes and welfare of most individuals in the fisheries sector. The reasons for this shift, we argue, is as a result of a combination of factors all supported by non other that poverty-led government policies.

Report on the current state of the fishery of the Ugandan sector of Lake Albert

Following a general outcry by the population riparian to the Ugandan portion of lake Albert about dwindling fish catches, there was concern both from the FAO Country representative in Uganda and the government of Uganda on the state of the fisheries of this lake. The FAO representative accompanied by an official from the Uganda Fisheries and Fish Conservation Association (UFFCA) visited the lake in July 1999 (Appendix I). The Ugandan minister of state in charge of the Fisheries sector also visited the lake in November 1999 (Appendix II). The two were in common agreement that the lake was in a stocks crisis and there was need for remedial measures. It was therefore deemed necessary to initiate a technical report updating the present state of the fisheries resources of this lake. An agreement was thus signed between the author and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations - Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa in Harare, to undertake this exercise.

Improved facilities for marine biology in East Africa

In 1967 the then University College of Dar es Salaam built a small laboratory on the shore at Kunduchi, 16 km from the main campus and 24 km north of Dar es Salaam. This was used for undergraduate field courses, and as a base for staff from the University to carry out research. It soon became apparent that the urgent need for studies of the marine environment in the East African area, and the lack of existing facilities, necessitated the development of the Kunduchi Marine Biology station into a research establishment with its own staff of full time scientists. This operation began in 1970: necessary structural modifications have been made to the building, staff have been recruited, and the station has been equipped with an adequate range of field and laboratory apparatus. A varied programme of research is now actively under way.

Current composition, distribution and relative abundance of the fish stocks of Lake Victoria, Uganda

An experimental bottom trawl survey was carried out in the Uganda sector of Lake Victoria during the period May 1993 through May 1995 with the aim of establishing the current composition, distribution and abundance of the fish stocks. A total of 205 successful one-hour hauls were taken using the 25.4mm mesh size codend trawl net during the 19 cruises. Fourteen fish taxa (excluding the haplochromines) were recorded with Lates niloticus constituting the bulk (97 %) of the fish retained. Haplochromines and L. nilolicus were encountered in all areas sampled while Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and other tilapiines were restricted to waters less than 20 metres deep. An average catch of 154 kg/hr was obtained in waters less than 30 metres deep. Species diversity and relative abundance varied with depth. Only two of the fifteen fish taxa (haplochromines and L.niloticus) were recorded in waters deeper than 30 metres and the bulk of the fish by weight (92 %) was obtained in waters less than 30 metres.

Plasma enhancement of current from carbon cathodes for field emission displays

This paper examines the possibility of using a background gas medium to enhance the current available from low threshold carbon cathodes. The field emission current is used to initiate a plasma in the gas medium, and thereby achieve a current multiplication effect. Results on the variation of anode current as a function of electric field and gas pressure are presented. These are compared with model calculations to verify the principles of operation. The influence of ion bombardment on the long term performance thin film carbon cathodes is examined for He and Ar multiplication plasmas. A measure of the influence of current multiplication on display quality is presented by examining light output from two standard low voltage phosphors. Also studied are the influence of doping the carbon with N to lower the threshold voltage for emission as well as the consequent impact on anode current from the plasma.