Background

Improving infrastructure is an essential step in improving fisheries management, fish quality and handling and improving livelihoods. Many of the fish landing sites have inadequate infrastructure – from poor roads, to no clean drinking water, public toilets or cold storage facilities. Many landing sites do have fish bandas, where fish is received, weighed and sold to traders or agents,

Infrastructure development: key areas and achievements
The European Union has committed funds in the Implementation of a Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) to be channelled through the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation for a 6.9 million Euro infrastructure development programme as follows:

1. 5.4 million Euro for the improvement of landing sites: these are big developments in each Partner State, bringing selected sites, where mainly Nile perch is landed, up to a higher standard of hygiene and fish handling. To date, the sites have been selected and commissioning work is beginning.
   
   
2. 300,000 Euro to improve community social facilities: these are facilities requested by the communities themselves and range from fish bandas to connections to water supplies and construction of health facilities. Sites have been selected and communities have prioritised facilities.
   
   
3. 750,000 Euro for the construction and equipping of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation Headquarters in Jinja Municipality, Uganda. LVFO is currently hosted by one of the fisheries research institutes and does not have a permanent home. The construction of the headquarters is an important milestone in further developing LVFO. The facilities will enable regional meetings to be hosted and will provide a wide range of information about the lake fisheries and the fisheries sector. The design of the HQ is almost complete and construction will soon begin.
   
   
4. 450,000 Euro for the renovation and equipping of fisheries departments and research institutes around the Lake Victoria. The fisheries departments and research institutes have not been updated as needed, due to lack of government funds. IFMP has responded to this and is supporting refurbishment to improve the working conditions in these institutes. Refurbishment is almost complete at five of the six institutes.

The fish landing sites’ improvement and community infrastructure interventions will be targeted to support the Beach Management Units (BMUs), and the sustainable operation of the infrastructure will be a major feature of the programme. The construction and equipping of the LVFO Headquarters will strengthen the LVFO Secretariat as a centre for excellence for Lake Victoria Fisheries Information and Databases.