Linking Practice and Policy in Eastern Africa.

Humans and animals are not the only creatures that migrate. Plants also do. This book is a comprehensive and analytical account of the migration of an Old World plant, water hyacinth (also known to botanists as Eichhornia Crassipes) from the Amazon Basin and surrounding areas to Africa through human agency from about 1800 to the present. As an integrative work, which benefits from methodologies and conceptual approaches drawn from limnology, botany, biology, geography, history, ecology and other social sciences and humanities, the book further explores the political, economic, and ecological consequences of the spread of water hyacinth from its native habitat through European botanical gardens to Africa rivers, lakes, dams, and wetlands. In part, as a narrative of Western tinkering with African ecologies gone awry, the study has strong lessons for environmental historians, and social scientists as well as contemporary foundations, aid workers, development experts and African governments. Although it may appear to be a micro-history of a single plant, water hyacinth, it illuminates broader issues in the history of the modern environment in Africa and similar studies worldwide. This study is primarily rooted on the histories of colonialism, bioinvasion, environmental realities and experiences in Africa. The highly visible pathways of hyacinth’s spread across international frontiers along watercourses and communication networks means that not only is this a trans-boundary environmental affair, but one which directly involves bilateral relations between African states.

This book constitutes a pioneering and unique work on Lake Victoria. It is the world’s second largest fresh-water lake and supports the livelihood of more than 30 million people. Surprisingly, there has been no comprehensive book addressing its problems and potentials. Ecology, environmental pollution and resource management are some of the issues addressed by this comprehensive insight into the limitations, challenges and opportunities facing Lake Victoria.

Community Based Fisheries Management: A Global Perspective unravels the different aspects of CBFM from different continents and countries. At a time when the population is significantly increasing, with resources decreasing, this resource is directly relevant to helping communities understand and improve fishery production management in a sustainably way. Sections explore various scientific literature on the impact of community-based fishing, participatory management of water bodies, methodologies for studies on community-based fisheries management, and interviews of workers working on community-based fisheries. This information will be most useful to fish farmers, aquaculturists, fish and fishery scientists, research scholars and anyone else interested in this field. Based on 30 years of scientific research, this resource emphasizes the need for the management of resources through the involvement of the local community while also providing a framework for participatory collaboration. - Provides methods of data collection and statistical tools for data analysis - Presents the basic procedures necessary to conduct a CBFM study - Includes information on the impacts of climate change and economics