Wildlife Trade - Study Tour to Tanzania for wildlife exporters

UEPB’s BioTrade Programme in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation in the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry (MTTI) organised a week long study trip to Tanzania in mid April 2007. The tour was part of the sector strategy for wildlife trade whose goal is to ‘sustianably enhance trade in wildlife by streamlining the technical, regulatory and administrative support to stakeholders in line with the national and international wildlife conservation and trade laws and regulations’. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) sponsored the travel and stay in Dar-es-saalam for the 12 participants including 6 companies, officials from Uganda Wildlife Authority, UEPB/BioTrade Unit and MTTI. The group was received by the Tanzania Department of Wildlife, and these organized and coordinated a wide range of activities including meetings with the private sector associations, and field visits to animal breeding and holding grounds for export.

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The team with members of theTanzania Wildlife Exporter’s Association

The stakeholders selected Tanzania as the study area in light of the progress registered in the conservation, economic and socio-economic activities. The purpose of the study therefore was to learn about Tanzania’s wildlife trade activity, and with particular attention to regulation and compliance, export activity, fees imposed, private sector organisation, community involvement, and documentation among others.

On return from the tour, the participants appreciated the opportunity advanced to acquire information and knowledge. The private sector in addition also created business linkages with their Tanzania counterparts, while the public agencies explored and agreed on key areas to further bilateral cooperation.

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The study team visits a tortoise breeding farm and pose with the Aldabra species

UEPB takes the opportunity to thank MTTI for the advance preparations and technical support, and UNCTAD for the financial support that made this trip possible. UEPB is planning another trip to benefit other sectors such as butterfly farming, an enterprise that has attracted community participation as ‘outgrowers’ to companies exporting butterfly pupae.

Technical support to Ostrich Breeding

Trade in wildlife is one of the priorities for UEPB’s BioTrade Programme. The sector assessment undertaken in 2006 revealed capacity limitations especially in animal breeding techniques. The wildlife trade strategy therefore highlights capacity enhancement programmes for the companies and their supplier communities. It is against this background that UEPB sought for technical assistance for Ostrich breeding from the Netherlands Senior Experts Programme (PUM) early this year and an expert was identified to provide the support.

The expert identification process was tailored to Kakuuto Ostrich Mixed Farm in Rakai District as the main beneficiary. The PUM expert Mr. Harry de Goof arrived in the country at the end of June, to provide onsite technical assistance to the company for a period of 3 weeks. The expert specifically assisted the company to address the various elements of ostrich ranching, right from low number of eggs and infertility, to redesigning the incubator and hatchery unit, feeding, disease control and general husbandry.

Another company Uganda Crocs Limited was introduced to PUM in June 2007 and is yet to finalise their application process seeking for an expert in tourism development and management at their crocodile farm in Buwama.

The PUM Country Coordinator for Kenya and Uganda Mr Tom Lucas and the Uganda Country representative Ms Alida Bakema-Boon visited UEPB offices in September 2007. These discussed the wide range of expertise available in the PUM programme and among the sectors cited was agriculture; agro-industry/food processing; environment; hotels, catering and tourism; energy and water, etc. Further information can be found on their website: www.pum.nl .

The Africa Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (AKTP)

The Africa Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (AKTP) is an initiative of the British Council to assist businesses to improve their competitiveness or productivity through knowledge, technology and skills available from Higher Education Institutions.

UEPB’s Susan Bingi, the Coordinator BioTrade Programme was invited to an awareness event organized by the British Council, who also extended the invitation to the biotrade companies.

The AKTP programme is a partnership between the private companies and the Universities in Uganda and involves placement of an ‘Associate’ in the company who generates knowledge and provides expertise to address specific needs of the company. The Associate is supported by the affiliate universities, which also include UK universities.

The programme is being piloted in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria based on a UK scheme that has been running for over 15 years and has seen over 6000 partnerships effected. Three companies in Uganda have already signed up for participation in the fields of; optimal use of biomass as an industrial furnace fuel, seed improvement, and production of iodized edible salt.

For more information on the AKTP, visit their website: www.britishcouncil.org/uganda

ALOE SECTOR INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENTS

Following the presentation by the Executive Director, Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB) to State House on the prospects and activities in the Aloe sector in February 2007, a follow up communication was made by the Minister of State for Investments who was directed by His Excellence the President to explore innovative avenues to assist the sector’s development. A Round Table discussion was proposed for this.

The Round Table discussion was convened at UEPB on Thursday 5 April 2007 and chaired by the Minister of State for Investment (Hon. Professor Semakula Kiwanuka).

Key among the discussions were the experiences, problems and expectations from Government for the sector’s development. In addition, a task force was formed to kick start the process of developing a proposal to Government by the stakeholders indicating the type of assistance needed for the sector’s development. The date for the task force to meet was set for Friday 13 April 2007. Furthermore, one other issue that urgently needed address as noted during the discussion was for the sector to form an umbrella organisation.

Following the meeting of the task force on Friday 13 April 2007, the member’s then present felt that all stakeholders (main producers, processors, associations and projects involved with Aloe production) be invited to a forum which was organised and held on Tuesday 17 April 2007 at UEPB in which ' Uganda Aloe Development Oganisation' was adapted as the new name for the umbrella organisation that will bring together aloe stakeholders. Also discussed was the registration of this organisation.

Dry land Products Project – Stakeholder review workshop, 7th December 2006 in Kampala
The Dryland Products Project is an initiative of UNCTAD and FAO’s Global Mechanism where the BioTrade Programme was selected to pilot a study on integration of desertification issues and implementation of the CCD through the biotrade programme approach.
A study was commissioned in September 2006, and the workshop aimed at reviewing the study findings to verify the information and enrich the document. 15 District Officials from the Dryland Districts of northern Uganda attended the workshop, including companies trading in dryland products such as shea nuts and Gum arabic.

Sustainable Managements Plan workshop, 22 - 24 November 2006, in Mukono
The workshop was organized within the framework of improving production practices for plant materials in the natural ingredients sector. In August 2006, a field study was commissioned to assess compliance to the basic requirements for GACP and GAP among community suppliers of companies. Six sites were selected for the field assessment, and the workshop aimed at presenting the key study findings and also shared experiences on development of species management plans as part of the strategy to improve production practices.
BTFP consultants from Ecuador and Colombia participated at the workshop that was attended by District Environment Officers from the six study regions, and the national environment and trade agencies.
An expert group was formulated to continue to guide the designing of management plans appropriate for private sector and community adoption.

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Mission to Uganda. 23 - 24 October 2006
The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) was in Uganda upon the invitation of the Uganda Biotrade Programme and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). This followed the invitation by the GBIF to MTTI (BioTrade Unit nominated to participate), as part of their member recruitment drive. The GBIF Executive Secretary Dr Edwards visited selected biodiversity data banks in Uganda, and also facilitated a stakeholder workshop held in Kampala.

The CITES Mission to Uganda, 16 - 21 October 2006•
The BioTrade Programme planned for a CITES Mission following the demonstrated lack of information and knowledge on the CITES Convention among traders, NGOs and environment and trade agencies. With assistance from UNCTAD, Ms Yeater Mercil, Policy Chief at the CITES Secretariat visited Uganda and key among the activities in the period was a stakeholder workshop, held specific meetings with the CITES management and scientific authorities, and visited selected conservation sites for CITES species, and companies breeding and trading in CITES plants and animals.
The Mission was planned and implemented in close cooperation with the CITES Management Authority in Uganda – Mr. Justus Tindigarukayo of the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry.
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Naturals Exposition 2006, 21 - 22 September 2006 in Kampala.
The Naturals Exposition 2006 was an initiative of the natural ingredients companies and also addressed one of the key strategies highlighted in the Natural Ingredients Sector Strategy - the need for increased sector visibility and public awareness. The exhibition was the first of its kind and was opened by the Minister of State for Industry Professor Ephraim Kamuntu who was impressed by the entrepreneurial innovations and the potential for industrial development. The Minister urged companies to improve packaging and quality, and also register their products for verification with the right authorities such as the National Drug Authority.

25 exhibitors participated at the 2 day event, and attracted a record of over 300 visitors over the period. The exhibitor profile included companies, research agencies, and conservation agencies, these paid for exhibition space, while the BioTrade Programme with support from UNCTAD covered the publicity costs for the event.

Side events were planned and included presentations on research developments, plant resource distribution and availability of the public forest areas, quality management issues, etc

Sensitization workshop on Wild life trade legislation, 20th April 2006 in Mukono.
The workshop was organized in collaboration with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for District Environment Officers in 24 Districts and wildlife trade companies. The workshop aimed to sensitize and provide information on the wildlife trade legislation including the Wildlife Act and the Wildlife Use Rights Programme of UWA, the CITES Convention, the Lusaka Agreement and other relevant conventions such as Access to Benefit Sharing and the CBD”

35 participants attended the workshop from 16 Districts, and the workshop also provided a platform for the validation of the wildlife strategy draft report

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