Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
This study investigated the Spatio-Temporal Variations in Water Quality and Fish Assemblages in O... more This study investigated the Spatio-Temporal Variations in Water Quality and Fish Assemblages in Odoponyi Seasonal Stream as a response to disturbance from Selected Agricultural Landscapes. Six sampling campaigns were launched at three different landscape sampling sites (grazing, rice plantation and sugarcane plantation) for 12 months from January to December of 2022. There was a general trend of increase in Dissolved Oxygen from upstream to downstream in sites in the catchment during both dry (from 7.13±1.9 to 8.9±2.1ppm) and wet seasons (from 11.2±2 to 12.3±01ppm). Plantation landscape of sugarcane registered the highest concentrations of nitrates during both dry and wet seasons (8±0.9 Mg/l and 11±1Mg/l) respectively. There was higher water transparency during dry season than wet season. A total of 568 fish individuals belonging to 7 species including Clarias leocephalus, Pamiphals promelas, Notemigonus crysoleucus, Anchoa mitchili, Poecilia reticulata, Barbodes binotatus and Pseud...
East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was legally introduced in Uganda through the National Envir... more Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was legally introduced in Uganda through the National Environment Act (NEA) 1995 (now NEA 2019) and made operational by the EIA Regulations 1998. Since the origin of EIA from the National Environment Policy Act of 1970 in the USA, public participation has taken an essential part of the EIA process. This paper assesses the legal provisions for public participation in the EIA process and the actual practice in Uganda, particularly the affected public. Data was collected using a literature review, survey questionnaire, interview guides and documentary analysis. The results indicated fairly good legal provisions for public participation and involvement in EIA. However, public participation was not well legislated in the early phases of the EIA process (preparation of project brief, screening, and scoping) and the later phases, particularly final decision-making and EIA follow-up. There were gaps between the law and the actual practice due to many co...
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
Car washing bays discharge a wide range of pollutants into water bodies which degrade water quali... more Car washing bays discharge a wide range of pollutants into water bodies which degrade water quality and affect aquatic ecosystem functions. The study examined the influence of the motor vehicle-washing bay on water quality of River Nakiyanja wetland system. Physicochemical water quality was measured by both in-situ and x-situ following standard protocols. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The study revealed higher concentrations of contaminants such as oil and grease, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and turbidity at impact sites associated with vehicle washing compared to the pre-washing bay sites, and these differed significantly. This affects aquatic ecosystem functions and probably posing health impacts to the direct users of water resources. The study recommended enforcement of water and environmental legislations and constructions of wastewater treatment facilities at each of the car washing bays to protect aquatic e...
Forests provide multitude of benefits to humanity in terms of local socio-economic, development, ... more Forests provide multitude of benefits to humanity in terms of local socio-economic, development, and environmental protection which are often not valued at national level because of lack of a valuation system for the ecosystem services. This study undertook a cost-benefit analysis of Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) implementation at Tororo Central Forest Reserve (TCFR) between Nyangole community and National Forestry Authority (NFA) using Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The result showed that Nyangole community incurred total discounted costs of USD 74,440.0 on tree planting, forest resource management and protection, tree nursery activities and agriculture. Meanwhile they received total discounted economic benefits of USD 396,720.0 from sale of poles, tree seedlings, training opportunities, fire wood, mango fruits, and food stuffs. Other benefits that accrued to the community were opportunity of receiving visitors at the project, training allowances and other ecosystem ser...
Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve ... more Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve environmental problems, in the long run building a sustainable environment for current and future generations. This study aimed at determining the influence of Environmental Literacy (EL) on the practice of Environmental Sustainability (ES) among secondary school students in Busia District in Eastern Uganda. Using parallel convergent mixed methods and cross-sectional survey designs, 466 participants including 409 randomly selected students in 12 secondary schools filled the Environmental Literacy Survey (ELS) tool and questionnaire on the practice of ES. Forty-eight students from 6 randomly selected schools in 6 groups participated in focus group discussion (FGD), and 9 teachers of Geography, Agriculture, and Biology from 3 schools participated in an FGD. The results indicate that the students had a functional level of EL (M = 115.72, SD = 18.27), and a moderate level of practice of ES (...
The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect t... more The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect the fragile ecosystems. The sector is the top exchange earner, employs a significant proportion of the workforce, especially the unskilled, and contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites. Therefore, if not managed properly, which must be preceded by documentation, the TS could lead to the destruction of the very resources upon which it depends. The concept of sustainability has often been used to indicate the need to ensure that tourism is developed in such a way that it minimizes the negative impacts. Inspired by the government’s current drive to develop tourism cities, in this paper, we analyze the unsung/untouched paradise potential of tourist attractions (UPTA) in three purposively selected municipalities in Uganda. We use the concepts of attractions, activities and sustainability in a broader sense. The results are based on an extensive study of documents,...
Rural populations depend heavily on traditional medicine to manage diseases, yet knowledge on tra... more Rural populations depend heavily on traditional medicine to manage diseases, yet knowledge on traditional medicine is continually being lost. This study was undertaken to document antimalarial plants in a rural community with the view of contributing to conservation of traditional knowledge on antimalarial medicinal plants. The study was carried out in areas of; Abukamola, Angeta, Oculokori, and Omarari of Alebtong Original Research Article
Given the diversity of active institutions and stakeholders in a landscape, and the difficulties ... more Given the diversity of active institutions and stakeholders in a landscape, and the difficulties in ensuring inclusive decision-making, evaluating landscape governance can help surface and address underlying issues. In the context of two protected area landscapes in Uganda, where landscape approaches are being implemented through a wider project on landscape governance, we analyse stakeholder perceptions of inclusive decision-making and then use this evaluation to stimulate dialogue amongst stakeholder groups in each landscape. We ask, how can capturing, analysing, and collaboratively applying people’s perceptions address inclusive decision-making in landscape governance? We collected and analysed perceptions using SenseMaker®, a software package that enables analysis of micronarratives (stories) from the field based on how respondents classify their own stories, using triads, dyads, stones, and multiple-choice questions. This self-categorisation by the respondent reduces bias in th...
Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve ... more Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve environmental problems, in the long run building a sustainable environment for current and future generations. This study aimed at determining the influence of Environmental Literacy (EL) on the practice of Environmental Sustainability (ES) among secondary school students in Busia District in Eastern Uganda. Using parallel convergent mixed methods and cross-sectional survey designs, 466 participants including 409 randomly selected students in 12 secondary schools filled the Environmental Literacy Survey (ELS) tool and questionnaire on the practice of ES. Forty-eight students from 6 randomly selected schools in 6 groups participated in focus group discussion (FGD), and 9 teachers of Geography, Agriculture, and Biology from 3 schools participated in an FGD. The results indicate that the students had a functional level of EL (M = 115.72, SD = 18.27), and a moderate level of practice of ES (...
Draft report prepared by Koalition on behalf of Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricult... more Draft report prepared by Koalition on behalf of Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricultural Policy Analysis (ECAPAPA), Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA)
The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect t... more The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect the fragile ecosystems. The sector is the top exchange earner, employs a significant proportion of the workforce, especially the unskilled, and contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites. Therefore, if not managed properly, which must be preceded by documentation, the TS could lead to the destruction of the very resources upon which it depends. The concept of sustainability has often been used to indicate the need to ensure that tourism is developed in such a way that it minimizes the negative impacts. Inspired by the government’s current drive to develop tourism cities, in this paper, we analyze the unsung/untouched paradise potential of tourist attractions (UPTA) in three purposively selected municipalities in Uganda. We use the concepts of attractions, activities and sustainability in a broader sense. The results are based on an extensive study of documents,...
Postgraduate Research Engagement in Low Resource Settings
For any university to become successful in producing new knowledge it must invest heavily in grad... more For any university to become successful in producing new knowledge it must invest heavily in graduate education. The developing world has dwindling resources investment in graduate training, yet countries cannot develop without graduate programmes. The challenge is that most postgraduate students do not receive adequate support from programme administration. There are no deliberate efforts to understand the cause of high dropout or delayed completion schedule of most graduate students. Providing tailored administrative and supervision support to graduate units is vital in reducing high attrition rates. This chapter provides key challenges facing graduate education in a resource-poor and culturally challenging environment. It proposes innovative remedies on student engagement, focusing on the need to develop tailor-made programmes to support student success at graduate level. The focus is on preparing, supporting, and enabling graduate students to successfully complete their studies.
This chapter presents a qualitative investigation of the challenges of common disabilities and th... more This chapter presents a qualitative investigation of the challenges of common disabilities and their management among learners with disabilities in inclusive primary schools in Busitema Subcounty, Busia District, Uganda. Data collection involved key informant interviews and focus group discussions with a purposive sample of 85 informants including head teachers, teachers, and learners. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the main challenges facing the learners were school-based, psychosocial, socioeconomic, socio-cultural, and policy related. Strategies to overcome the challenges were suggested. The authors recommend strict adherence to SNE policy guidelines during the implementation of these strategies.
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
This study investigated the Spatio-Temporal Variations in Water Quality and Fish Assemblages in O... more This study investigated the Spatio-Temporal Variations in Water Quality and Fish Assemblages in Odoponyi Seasonal Stream as a response to disturbance from Selected Agricultural Landscapes. Six sampling campaigns were launched at three different landscape sampling sites (grazing, rice plantation and sugarcane plantation) for 12 months from January to December of 2022. There was a general trend of increase in Dissolved Oxygen from upstream to downstream in sites in the catchment during both dry (from 7.13±1.9 to 8.9±2.1ppm) and wet seasons (from 11.2±2 to 12.3±01ppm). Plantation landscape of sugarcane registered the highest concentrations of nitrates during both dry and wet seasons (8±0.9 Mg/l and 11±1Mg/l) respectively. There was higher water transparency during dry season than wet season. A total of 568 fish individuals belonging to 7 species including Clarias leocephalus, Pamiphals promelas, Notemigonus crysoleucus, Anchoa mitchili, Poecilia reticulata, Barbodes binotatus and Pseud...
East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was legally introduced in Uganda through the National Envir... more Environmental impact assessment (EIA) was legally introduced in Uganda through the National Environment Act (NEA) 1995 (now NEA 2019) and made operational by the EIA Regulations 1998. Since the origin of EIA from the National Environment Policy Act of 1970 in the USA, public participation has taken an essential part of the EIA process. This paper assesses the legal provisions for public participation in the EIA process and the actual practice in Uganda, particularly the affected public. Data was collected using a literature review, survey questionnaire, interview guides and documentary analysis. The results indicated fairly good legal provisions for public participation and involvement in EIA. However, public participation was not well legislated in the early phases of the EIA process (preparation of project brief, screening, and scoping) and the later phases, particularly final decision-making and EIA follow-up. There were gaps between the law and the actual practice due to many co...
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
Car washing bays discharge a wide range of pollutants into water bodies which degrade water quali... more Car washing bays discharge a wide range of pollutants into water bodies which degrade water quality and affect aquatic ecosystem functions. The study examined the influence of the motor vehicle-washing bay on water quality of River Nakiyanja wetland system. Physicochemical water quality was measured by both in-situ and x-situ following standard protocols. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The study revealed higher concentrations of contaminants such as oil and grease, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and turbidity at impact sites associated with vehicle washing compared to the pre-washing bay sites, and these differed significantly. This affects aquatic ecosystem functions and probably posing health impacts to the direct users of water resources. The study recommended enforcement of water and environmental legislations and constructions of wastewater treatment facilities at each of the car washing bays to protect aquatic e...
Forests provide multitude of benefits to humanity in terms of local socio-economic, development, ... more Forests provide multitude of benefits to humanity in terms of local socio-economic, development, and environmental protection which are often not valued at national level because of lack of a valuation system for the ecosystem services. This study undertook a cost-benefit analysis of Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) implementation at Tororo Central Forest Reserve (TCFR) between Nyangole community and National Forestry Authority (NFA) using Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). The result showed that Nyangole community incurred total discounted costs of USD 74,440.0 on tree planting, forest resource management and protection, tree nursery activities and agriculture. Meanwhile they received total discounted economic benefits of USD 396,720.0 from sale of poles, tree seedlings, training opportunities, fire wood, mango fruits, and food stuffs. Other benefits that accrued to the community were opportunity of receiving visitors at the project, training allowances and other ecosystem ser...
Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve ... more Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve environmental problems, in the long run building a sustainable environment for current and future generations. This study aimed at determining the influence of Environmental Literacy (EL) on the practice of Environmental Sustainability (ES) among secondary school students in Busia District in Eastern Uganda. Using parallel convergent mixed methods and cross-sectional survey designs, 466 participants including 409 randomly selected students in 12 secondary schools filled the Environmental Literacy Survey (ELS) tool and questionnaire on the practice of ES. Forty-eight students from 6 randomly selected schools in 6 groups participated in focus group discussion (FGD), and 9 teachers of Geography, Agriculture, and Biology from 3 schools participated in an FGD. The results indicate that the students had a functional level of EL (M = 115.72, SD = 18.27), and a moderate level of practice of ES (...
The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect t... more The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect the fragile ecosystems. The sector is the top exchange earner, employs a significant proportion of the workforce, especially the unskilled, and contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites. Therefore, if not managed properly, which must be preceded by documentation, the TS could lead to the destruction of the very resources upon which it depends. The concept of sustainability has often been used to indicate the need to ensure that tourism is developed in such a way that it minimizes the negative impacts. Inspired by the government’s current drive to develop tourism cities, in this paper, we analyze the unsung/untouched paradise potential of tourist attractions (UPTA) in three purposively selected municipalities in Uganda. We use the concepts of attractions, activities and sustainability in a broader sense. The results are based on an extensive study of documents,...
Rural populations depend heavily on traditional medicine to manage diseases, yet knowledge on tra... more Rural populations depend heavily on traditional medicine to manage diseases, yet knowledge on traditional medicine is continually being lost. This study was undertaken to document antimalarial plants in a rural community with the view of contributing to conservation of traditional knowledge on antimalarial medicinal plants. The study was carried out in areas of; Abukamola, Angeta, Oculokori, and Omarari of Alebtong Original Research Article
Given the diversity of active institutions and stakeholders in a landscape, and the difficulties ... more Given the diversity of active institutions and stakeholders in a landscape, and the difficulties in ensuring inclusive decision-making, evaluating landscape governance can help surface and address underlying issues. In the context of two protected area landscapes in Uganda, where landscape approaches are being implemented through a wider project on landscape governance, we analyse stakeholder perceptions of inclusive decision-making and then use this evaluation to stimulate dialogue amongst stakeholder groups in each landscape. We ask, how can capturing, analysing, and collaboratively applying people’s perceptions address inclusive decision-making in landscape governance? We collected and analysed perceptions using SenseMaker®, a software package that enables analysis of micronarratives (stories) from the field based on how respondents classify their own stories, using triads, dyads, stones, and multiple-choice questions. This self-categorisation by the respondent reduces bias in th...
Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve ... more Environmental education is vital to promote knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices to solve environmental problems, in the long run building a sustainable environment for current and future generations. This study aimed at determining the influence of Environmental Literacy (EL) on the practice of Environmental Sustainability (ES) among secondary school students in Busia District in Eastern Uganda. Using parallel convergent mixed methods and cross-sectional survey designs, 466 participants including 409 randomly selected students in 12 secondary schools filled the Environmental Literacy Survey (ELS) tool and questionnaire on the practice of ES. Forty-eight students from 6 randomly selected schools in 6 groups participated in focus group discussion (FGD), and 9 teachers of Geography, Agriculture, and Biology from 3 schools participated in an FGD. The results indicate that the students had a functional level of EL (M = 115.72, SD = 18.27), and a moderate level of practice of ES (...
Draft report prepared by Koalition on behalf of Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricult... more Draft report prepared by Koalition on behalf of Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricultural Policy Analysis (ECAPAPA), Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA)
The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect t... more The tourism sector (TS) in Uganda is predominantly nature based with potential to easily affect the fragile ecosystems. The sector is the top exchange earner, employs a significant proportion of the workforce, especially the unskilled, and contributes to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage sites. Therefore, if not managed properly, which must be preceded by documentation, the TS could lead to the destruction of the very resources upon which it depends. The concept of sustainability has often been used to indicate the need to ensure that tourism is developed in such a way that it minimizes the negative impacts. Inspired by the government’s current drive to develop tourism cities, in this paper, we analyze the unsung/untouched paradise potential of tourist attractions (UPTA) in three purposively selected municipalities in Uganda. We use the concepts of attractions, activities and sustainability in a broader sense. The results are based on an extensive study of documents,...
Postgraduate Research Engagement in Low Resource Settings
For any university to become successful in producing new knowledge it must invest heavily in grad... more For any university to become successful in producing new knowledge it must invest heavily in graduate education. The developing world has dwindling resources investment in graduate training, yet countries cannot develop without graduate programmes. The challenge is that most postgraduate students do not receive adequate support from programme administration. There are no deliberate efforts to understand the cause of high dropout or delayed completion schedule of most graduate students. Providing tailored administrative and supervision support to graduate units is vital in reducing high attrition rates. This chapter provides key challenges facing graduate education in a resource-poor and culturally challenging environment. It proposes innovative remedies on student engagement, focusing on the need to develop tailor-made programmes to support student success at graduate level. The focus is on preparing, supporting, and enabling graduate students to successfully complete their studies.
This chapter presents a qualitative investigation of the challenges of common disabilities and th... more This chapter presents a qualitative investigation of the challenges of common disabilities and their management among learners with disabilities in inclusive primary schools in Busitema Subcounty, Busia District, Uganda. Data collection involved key informant interviews and focus group discussions with a purposive sample of 85 informants including head teachers, teachers, and learners. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the main challenges facing the learners were school-based, psychosocial, socioeconomic, socio-cultural, and policy related. Strategies to overcome the challenges were suggested. The authors recommend strict adherence to SNE policy guidelines during the implementation of these strategies.
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Papers by Edward Andama