Haumba’s Trendy Thoughts

From 20th February to 19th March 2021, the ISOOKO project through Makerere University team conducted a pilot CPD programme in Digital Archiving and Peacebuilding. The programme attracted participants from the East African region (Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda) who were equitably selected, these were Waweru Samuel – Kenya, Okello Gilbert – Rwanda, Ninkusiima Moore – Uganda, Oscar Nkoobe – Uganda, Mwaurah Naomy – Kenya, James Oluka – Uganda, and Emmanuel Anguyo – Uganda. The CPD is a result of the Training Needs Assessment (TNA) that was conducted throughout the East African Region. The TNA birthed the month-long four-module virtual Continuous Professional Training Programme (CPD). The purpose of the training was to impart knowledge and skills to trainees in peace building and digital archiving. The participants were trained on four modules that included: Museum & Peace Education, Conflict Management & Peacebuilding, Digital Archiving & Photography, and Digital Security. A walk ...

The problem of poverty and how to reduce it remains the most pressing dilemma in the many international development debates. More precisely, two questions are at the heart of much of academic research and public policy for development, namely: what is it that makes Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) the poorest region in the world and what can be done to deliver the sustainable and broad-based economic growth required to address this? This article seeks to provide an introduction to current debates on these two interrelated questions.  A section of zaina rice grown in Doho irrigation rice scheme, Butaleja. I will not pretend to offer a broad overview of a vast and ever changing body of academic literature and government policy. Rather, this article is set to answer two main questions. Firstly, what are the prime drivers and maintainers of poverty in SSA as I see them (building on a holistic approach to defining poverty) and, secondly, I briefly highlight how agriculture can aid in eco...

Relatively few would pick Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 as their “favourite” out of the 17 goals. However, it is a very important goal, which all the other SDGs are reliant upon. SDG 17 Partnership for the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2015 for example, the Global Compact Network Canada conducted a SDGs Survey asking Canadian businesses to rank the top 5 SDGs according to their importance within Canada and in the world, in terms of the company’s existing initiatives and the importance for own business. The results of this survey were very interesting, and it was striking to see that SDG 17 was consistently ranked among the lowest of the priorities in each of the four questions. In reality, goal 17 is a very important goal and deserves a lot more attention as the success of the SDGs as a whole largely relies on successful partnerships. The aim of SDG 17 is to “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”....

When the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted, Goal 16 was seen as truly transformative, formally linking, for the first time at the United Nations, development, peace, justice, and good governance. Some of its more ambitious targets include significantly reducing all forms of violence, ending abuse and violence against children, promoting the rule of law, reducing illicit financial flows and corruption, and developing accountable and transparent institutions. But Goal 16 was not adopted without controversy. Many countries argued against the interruption of peace and security, and even more so justice, considerations into the development sphere, and would have preferred that the goal be dropped altogether. Other countries maintained that this goal was central for them and that their support for the 2030 Agenda hinged upon it. Nearly three years later, progress on Goal 16 is uneven, and there is considerable doub...

Goal 15 aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. Human life depends on the earth as much as the ocean for our sustenance and livelihoods. Plant life provides 80 percent of our human diet, and we rely on agriculture as an important economic resource and means of development. Forests account for 30 percent of the Earth’s surface, providing vital habitats for millions of species and important sources for clean air and water; as well as being crucial for combating climate change. Today, we are seeing unprecedented land degradation, and the loss of arable land at 30 to 35 times the historical rate. Drought and desertification is also on the rise each year, amounting to the loss of 12 million hectares and affects poor communities globally. Of the 8,300 animal breeds known, 8 percent are extinct and 22 percent are at risk ...

Oceans are the biggest ecosystems on planet earth, and they are essential to our survival. They cover 65% of the surface of the earth, generate nearly half of the air we breathe in and also 16% of animal protein, besides playing an important role in the global economy. Over 3 billion people across the world depend on coastal and marine resources, generating many jobs in various industries such as tourism, biotechnology, fishing, an d shipping. The ocean has a significant part to play in the worldwide development, and it can help fight poverty. However, marine ecosystems across the world are currently being threatened by our human activities. We must start protecting our oceans’ health if we are to prosper and survive. Insights about Ocean Sustainability Oceans, seas and coastal areas form an integrated and essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem and are critical to sustainable development. They cover more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface and contain 97% of ...

Climate change presents the single biggest threat to development, and its widespread, unprecedented impacts disproportionately burden the poorest and most vulnerable. Every country in the world is seeing the drastic effects of climate change, some more than others.  On average, the annual losses just from earthquakes, tsunamis, and tropical cyclones and flooding count in the hundreds of billions of dollars. We can reduce the loss of life and property by helping more vulnerable regions such as land-locked countries and island states become more resilient.  It is still possible, with the political will and technological measures, to limit the increase in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and thus avoid the worst effects of climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals lay out a way for countries to work together to meet this urgent challenge. Urgent action to combat climate change and minimize its disruptions is integr...

Achieving economic growth and sustainable development requires that we urgently reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. Agriculture is the biggest user of water worldwide, and irrigation now claims close to 70 percent of all freshwater for human use. The efficient management of our shared natural resources, and the way we dispose of toxic waste and pollutants, are important targets to achieve this goal. Encouraging industries, businesses and consumers to recycle and reduce waste is equally important, as is supporting developing countries to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption by 2030. Some people use a lot of stuff, and some people use very little—in fact, a big share of the world population is consuming too little to meet even their basic needs. Instead, we can have a world where everybody gets what they need to survive and thrive. And we can consume in a way that preserves our natural resources ...