Zambia - Atlas of our Changing Environment

Lake Tanganyika Integrated Management Programme

Lake Tanganyika, located in southern-central Africa, is the second largest lake by volume in the world and the largest in Africa. The lake basin covers about 231,000 sq kilometres, and extends into parts of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia. Lake Tanganyika boasts over 350 species of fish most of which are endemic (Curtis, 2013). The Lake Tanganyika Integrated Management Programme aims to promote the protection of biodiversity and the sustainable management of the natural resources in the Lake Tanganyika basin. The project began in 1995 and is expected to be implemented until 2013. It focuses on sedimentation control by placing emphasis on institutional strengthening and supporting community participation in agriculture, forestry and soil erosion prevention (GRZ, 2013). Some of the major results of the programme include: • Sustainable natural resource use through tree planting and the implementation

of community-level natural resources management plans; • Development of alternative income- generating activities through a community revolving fund; • Raising awareness among stakeholders, including government and community members, on the importance of sustainable natural resource management. The awareness raising to date has focused on invasive species; and, • Enhancing the capacity of local governance structures to manage their natural resources sustainably. In addition, the government has pursued appropriate policies and programmes relating to natural resources management and environmental protection. The project has facilitated the enforcement of by-laws in target areas. In some situations this has been undertaken in collaboration with the countries that share the lake. (GRZ, 2013)

Lake Tanganyika ZEMA, 2007

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ZAMBIA - ATLAS OF OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT