200806291838 | Uganda hosts Water Conference

Uganda hosts Water Conference

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) must have opened the eyes of the international world to the capabilities and beauty of the Pearl of Africa commonly described as a country ‘Gifted by Nature’, reported by the Uganda Media Centre.
Hardly a week after hosting the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Business Forum and the Council of Foreign Ministers’ (CFM) meeting, Uganda again hosts another International Conference.

The Conference on ‘Groundwater and Climate in Africa’ taking place at the Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo runs from June 24 to 28, 2008. It has attracted over 200 participants of whom half the number is international.

Groundwater is found in the rocks and soils beneath our feet and is a natural store for fresh water. It is a main source of water to half a billion people in Africa and more than a third of the world’s population.

Ground water is better protected from pollution, widely distributed and less affected by seasonal changes in rainfall than the water from rivers and lakes.

Following the recent climate changes, there is a threat of drought, and decrease in crop production due to insufficient rainfall. Experts predict a rise in air temperature of between three to four degrees Celsius over the next century in Africa. Therefore, rainfall will occur less frequently with greater intensity which implies that there will be flooding and drought.

According to the Minister of Water and Environment, Hon. Maria Mutagamba, the water issue has gone high on the agenda to the extent that Heads of Government from Africa have to discuss the problem.

The minister called upon the public to “treat water as liquid gold and conserve every drop.”

According to Dr. Callist Tindimugaya the Commissioner for Water Resource Regulation, Uganda has about 25,000 bore holes, 40,000 more expected to be constructed in the next 15 years.”

Most Ugandans especially the rural population depend on underground water through boreholes for survival.

The conference seeks to improve current understanding of the impact of climate and development on groundwater resources in Africa. The conference focus is also on policy makers, and development partners on the impact of climate change and development on groundwater in Africa and of course scientists.

It is jointly funded by UNESCO, DANIDA, and Ministry of Water among others.