NON- GOVERNMENTAL organisations are working with communities along the Lake Tanganyika basin in Kigoma Region to restore the lake's ecosystem, which faces declining fish stocks and ecological damage from unsustainable fishing, rising water levels, deforestation and climate change.

Lukindo Hiza, the director of the ‘working together’ programme, a joint initiative by The Nature Conservancy, Pathfinder International and the government, said that the programme is intended to help conserve over 40,000 hectares of the lake basin, benefiting more than 100,000 fishers. 

Citing the need for a balanced approach between livelihood and conservation, the programme is geared to promote sustainable fishing practices, by integrating traditional knowledge with modern conservation techniques.

“When the programme was started 12 years ago, unsustainable fishing practices, including illegal gear use and fishing in breeding sites, were rampant. A lack of regulations further exacerbated the situation,” he said.

Apart from fishing, the programme relates to forest conservation, community health programmes including reproductive health and behavioural change, forestry conservation and regenerative agriculture, he stated.

Residents in Buhingu ward in Uvinza District, said that collaboration with NGOs, the government and scientists had revitalized efforts to protect vital marine resources.

Issa Fungameza, a member of the Tongwe group, a local conservation organization, recalls how overfishing severely threatened livelihoods for years, destroying fish breeding sites.

There are significant improvements since the introduction of the programme, as it initiated beach management units (BMUs) that focus on environmental conservation, fighting illegal fishing, protecting beaches and breeding areas, as well as maintaining hygiene, he stated. 

 "Through this collaborative effort, we're seeing progress in curbing illegal fishing, conserving the environment and restoring fish breeding areas," he said, pointing at the need for education to encourage communities to adopt sustainable practices like cage fishing.

Currently, through climate adaptation, the programme has covered 28,000 farmers into regenerative agriculture by supplying them with quality seeds, increasing productivity to at least three times, he said.

Shomari Mbanga, chairman of Mgambo village, expressed the view that the restoration program has transformed their livelihoods. "As a BMU member for six years, I've witnessed improvements in health services, school infrastructure and roads," he said, pointing at rising lake levels as a challenge. 

Haroun Chanda, the district fisheries officer, stated that the government was educating communities on sustainable fishing practices for long-term sustainability.