NBL, WWF restore 80 hectares in degraded Rwizi catchment

Combined efforts by Nile Breweries Limited and World Wide Fund for Nature have in the last five years restored 80.3 hectares of degraded Rwizi catchment area.

In 2019 AB InBev entered into a partnership with WWF  to measure the amount of water used in making beer  but also explored ways to mitigate water risks facing businesses, communities and ecosystems, both through the suppl chain and through collection action.

The project was carried out in South Africa, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania.

In Uganda, the project focused on  River Rwizi in western Uganda, whose catchment area covers 12 districts.

Speaking during the release of the report, Stephen Emor, Stephen Emor, the team leader for the Victoria Water Management Project in the Ministry of Water and Environment  hailed the project for its enormous benefits to communities

“The project has helped restore 80.3 hectares done by fencing off or demarcating the river bank using live markers and planting of bamboo along the buffer. This has helped a lot in stopping sedimentation and siltation into the river,” Emor said.

Emor added that the project has also done soil and water conservation aimed at reducing flowing of water into the river which carries a lot of silt and clogging the river.

“We have been able to demonstrate that nature-based interventions can solve the challenges of degradation of the river,” Emor said.

Emmanuel Njuki, the country lead in charge of legal and corporate affairs at Nile Breweries Limited said the project has heled support communities with livelihood options, away from degrading River Rwizi.

“As one of the users of the river, over the past few years, we(NBL) have actually received an increased amount of water in the river. We measure both the quantity and quality of water.  To us this is something very sustainable for business but we also know for communities, they are reporting better quality water, less floods affecting their households and gardens but also the quality of water has greatly improved and that is already a success for this project,” Njuki said.

“The project identified particular areas along the river that needed intense work. We realized one of the biggest challenges leading to degradation was livelihood. We therefore gave alternative sources of livelihood for the communities near the river.”

The Nile Breweries official mentioned zero grazed animals, village savings and credit societies, bee keeping and alternative water sources.

“ That means the community doesn’t depend on the river as much especially if they are able to collect water from other sources. They wont be any need for them to come to the river because there is an alternative for them. It means they have no reason to degrade the river. These activities have meant we have a sustainable way of managing the water, get more of it and alternative sources of livelihoods for the communities,” Njuki added.

He said the project has supported livelihood options in communities which have been provided with income generating projects, away from degrading the river.

The WWF country director, Ivan Tumuhimbise said the project has  delivered on intended goals.

“Our two organizations have leveraged our respective expertise, resources and influence to find innovative strategies for conserving watersheds and improving water quality. We recognize that scientific research, data analysis and stakeholder engagement are fundamental in driving effective water management strategies. By integrating the best available knowledge and involving local communities, governments and other stakeholders, we are laying solid foundations to create lasting and impactful change,” Tumuhimbise said.

“We have measurably improved water availability, water quality and freshwater biodiversity. We are catalyzing key decision makers to recognize the value of water and improve water governance to enable solutions to address water availability and quality  challenges.”