Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
1
Social and Engineering Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda
G. W. Feyereisen
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department
1390 Eccles Avenue
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108-6005 USA
email: fey[email protected]
Abstract:
Political upheaval and civil war in the 1970’s and 1980’s, coupled with AIDS deaths in the
1980’s and 1990’s, have brought hardship on the people of the east African country of Uganda,
especially the children. Cornerstone Development Uganda, a charitable organization founded in
1988, has established a 700-head working dairy cattle ranch in Nakasongola District of central
Uganda to provide opportunity, education, and income for local families. Another charitable
entity, African Children’s Mission (ACM), operates a feeding program providing meals to 1300
children daily at primary schools on the ranch and in the neighboring community, and organizes
building projects in support of the ranch. ACM needed design assistance to build a training
center, waste treatment system, and aquaculture operation on a 50 ha parcel of land adjacent to
the ranch. ACM requested technical assistance from Engineering Ministries International (EMI),
a U.S.-based group. EMI recruited and organized a group of eleven professionals from various
parts of the United States to visit the ranch in October 2001, to complete surveys and collect data
for the designs. This paper will present the social and cultural aspects of the visit, and the
process of data assimilation and design that has been utilized to engineer the fish ponds and a
water reservoir to support a pond aquaculture operation. Some of the challenges of engineering
with limited information are mentioned, including estimating precipitation and watershed
boundaries. University-trained Ugandans will be involved in the building and operation of this
project. It is their hope that the system will provide a model for development for others in their
district. The project demonstrates that professionals in developed countries can donate their
expertise to provide for improved opportunities for others, and build rewarding relationships in
the process.
Introduction:
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
2
The continent of Africa offers a diversity of peoples, animal and plant life, climates, and
geography. The history of this continent continues to unfold, and the current condition of the
peoples is strongly influenced by past events. Uganda, situated on the equator and neighboring
Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Sudan in east Africa,
is a country that is rebuilding its capacity to thrive following civil and political upheaval in the
decades of the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Figure 1: Map of Uganda and bordering nations.
Britain relinquished its political control of Uganda in 1962, at which time Uganda enjoyed a
higher standard of living than all of its neighboring states. Political rivalries from the beginning
of independence led to upheaval that resulted in coup d’e
tats in 1966 and 1971. The latter coup
initiated Idi Amin’s eight-year reign of terror, throughout which prominent political, educational,
and religious leaders, and anyone in the military who posed a threat to him, were murdered.
After another failed attempt at constitutional rule, the country’s first Prime Minister, Milton
Obote reassumed power and continued the path of brutality. A successful guerrilla campaign to
oust Obote, led by Yoweri Museveni, was waged from 1981 to 1985. The opposition was able to
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
3
organize, train, and exist within two hours of the capital city of Kampala, in a district named
Luwero. This district became the location of mass bloodshed as Obote’s forces massacred
civilians in an attempt to stop their opposition. An estimated 300,000 people lost their lives
during this period of time as a result of political murders and war (Tumusiime, 1992), perhaps as
many as 200,000 in the area known as the Luwero Triangle (Museveni, 2000; Pirouet, 1995).
The broad-based government established in early 1986 had to continue fighting rebels in the
north and east of the country until relative calm prevailed in the 1990’s.
The social and economic fabric of Uganda has been further strained by the impact of AIDS,
which was discovered there in the early 1980’s. Later in the decade, Uganda had the highest
reported rate of HIV infection in the world (Whitworth, 1999). One study in Uganda showed
that slightly more than 10% of the children aged less than 15 years had lost one or both parents
(Kamali et al., 1996). Approximately 40% of these orphans had lost an HIV-1-positive parent.
Kamali et al. estimated that the rate of children orphaned in Uganda increased by 50% or more
during the two decades prior to their report (1996), due to the AIDS epidemic and civil war in
the 1980’s. The care of these children has fallen on extended families in the community (Seeley
et al., 1993). In areas of the country where the rebuilding of the once-prosperous economy of the
country is slow, these family networks face the additional hardship of lack of opportunity. One
area where recovery has been slow and social needs are high is the Nakasongola District, located
in the heart of the Luwero Triangle, approximately 120 km north of Kampala. A charitable
organization working in this area has envisioned a community-based development approach to
improve the basic living conditions of the people. The objectives of this paper are to describe the
social/cultural and technical aspects of one project, an aquaculture development, in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda, and to encourage professional engineers in the more developed
world to use their skills to improve the nutritional and economic well being of less fortunate
people groups.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
4
Figure 2: Location of Luwero and Nakasongola Districts
Social Aspects
Cornerstone Development Uganda is a charitable organization established in 1988 for the
purpose of addressing the specific physical and spiritual needs of those communities exhibiting
the greatest need (Miller, 1999). One of Cornerstone Development Uganda’s (CDU) major
projects has been the development of a commercial dairy ranch, named Ekitangaala Ranch, in the
Nakasongola District. In addition to the farming operation, a primary school, an advanced-level
high school, vocational training program, health clinic, and community development program are
based at the ranch, where approximately one hundred people reside and are employed. Another
charitable organization, African Children’s Mission, working under the auspices of CDU,
operates a feeding program providing meals to 1300 children daily at primary schools on the
ranch and in the neighboring community, and organizes building projects in support of the ranch.
ACM needed engineering design assistance to construct a small office, training center, waste
treatment system, and pond aquaculture operation on a recently-acquired 50 ha parcel of land
adjacent to the ranch. ACM requested the assistance of Engineering Ministries International
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
5
(EMI), a U.S.-based group whose purpose includes provision of technical design help to the
poor. EMI recruited volunteers from across the United States with skills in various engineering
disciplines needed for the projects. The group of eleven professionals visited Ekitangaala Ranch
in October, 2001, to complete surveys and collect data for the project designs.
Enroute and upon entry to Uganda, the team was given a briefing on cultural practices and
customs within the country. Such training was important to prepare the team to work with
Ugandan nationals, and to awaken the team to in-country sensitivities, such as the wearing of any
clothing with a camouflage design, which was taboo because of its association with the military,
and potential dangers of being in African bush country.
During the days of work at Ekitangaala Ranch, there were opportunities to meet and work with
several Ugandan nationals. The nationals assisted with the survey, the location and conceptual
development of the aquaculture operation, and the conceptual design and construction techniques
for the office and training center. Many of them were young men from the advanced-level high
school on the ranch, Cornerstone Leadership Academy (CLA). CLA is a boarding school for
disadvantaged men and combines challenging academics with leadership training. Several
graduates of CLA have attended Makerere University in Kampala. The intended purpose of
developing indigenous leadership is being realized as graduates have returned to take leadership
roles in the vocational school, children’s outreach, farm operations, school feeding program, and
community development project associated with the ranch.
The life story of one of the CLA graduates ties together the past decades of Uganda’s history
with the hope of a developing future. This young man was born in northern Uganda in 1975; his
father was killed in fighting when he was three-months old. Being orphaned, he was taken in by
relatives in Kampala, where he experienced the hardships of growing up through the era of
tension and bloodshed. At some point he became associated with CDU. He attended CLA and
graduated with high marks enabling his entrance to Makerere University, where he is now
completing studies in fisheries and wildlife. Part of his program is to plan the aquaculture
operation at Ekitangaala Ranch. Intelligent and articulate, he is hopeful that this operation will
be a model for the surrounding district. He desires to see opportunity grow for the Ugandan
people, including an improved future for his relatives in the north, among whom there are
orphans.
The design team visited the primary school on Ekitangaala Ranch at noon one day, helping with
the meal distribution and interacting with the children. There was opportunity later in the week
to assist with a reading program at the school and to visit students in their homes. The team
experienced other facets of native life, attending a worship service, sharing a community meal,
and visiting the market.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
6
Technical Methods
The group of eleven professionals from various parts of the United States visited Ekitangaala
Ranch from 22 to 28 October 2001 for the purpose of completing land surveys and collecting
data for the requested project designs. The group consisted of two agricultural engineers, four
civil engineers, one electrical engineer, one architect, two surveyors, and one health care
administrator. Attempts to obtain geographical information and meteorological history prior to
the visit were only moderately successful. The team was told that maps showing detailed
information are kept from widespread circulation because of the history of guerrilla warfare
within the country. Much of the meteorological record was interrupted during times of armed
conflict within the country.
The planned building and aquaculture developments were to be situated on a recently-purchased
50-ha parcel adjacent to the ranch. The surveyors invested three days confirming measurements
of a local survey of the property, and determining elevations around the perimeter of the plot and
through a low-lying area where the aquaculture development was to be located. The survey
proceeded slowly due to equipment limitations and vegetation hindrances. During this period
interviews were conducted with the field leader of ACM, the national leaders of various
organizational units within ACM, and the ranch’s construction manager to obtain design input to
the various projects and to review local building construction practices. Analyses of the soils
were performed. On the final day of work at the site, subgroups of engineers prepared
conceptual plans for the four projects and presented them to the ACM field leader and the entire
design team. Once the group returned to the United States, the engineers completed the design
work for which they were responsible over a period of three months. Plans and specifications
were sent to the EMI headquarters; EMI delivered them as one package to ACM’s field leader.
The engineering team donated a total of 800 hours of their time toward the projects. Each
member of the engineering team financed his or her travel to and from Uganda, and a trip
overhead cost. The group requesting the engineering assistance, ACM, provided in-country
transportation, food, and lodging for the team.
Aquaculture Design
The goal of the design of the aquaculture facility was to situate from three to six 20 m by 60 m
ponds along with a reservoir for make up water on a 2.5 ha low-lying portion of the 50 ha parcel.
The design strategy was to estimate the water available for the aquaculture operation from
precipitation and runoff, to determine the water consumption needs of the operation, and to
design a reservoir that could supply an adequate quantity of water to the series of ponds.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
7
Ekitangaala Ranch is remotely located from cities for which precipitation data can be found.
Therefore annual precipitation was estimated at 1277 mm, based upon the average of three cities
of known precipitation, and of approximately equal distance from, and elevation to the ranch:
Kampala to the south, Masindi to the northwest, and Serere to the northeast (Africa Data
Dissemination Service).
The aquaculture facility was designed for a ten-year storm event. Two methods were used to
estimate the ten-year storm at 130 mm for Ekitangaala Ranch. Actual data were found for
Kampala, Masindi, and Serere representing rainfall for each dekad (ten-day period) throughout
the year (Texas A&M website). The number of years for which complete records were available
is approximately ten, as table 1 below indicates. The greatest rainfall in any single dekad during
these years is shown. An assumption was made that two-thirds of the dekad’s total precipitation
fell during a single storm, the average value resulting in 132 mm.
Table 1: Maximum 10-day precipitation record for three cities in Uganda.
An empirical chart located in a design handbook entitled Hand-built Earthen Micro-Dams,
published by the Mennonite Central Committee (Goertzen, 1988), was also used to approximate
the ten-year storm total. The curve predicts 128 mm for a ten-year event based upon an average
annual rainfall of 1277 mm. The ten-year storm estimate for Ekitangaala Ranch was set as a
round number, 130 mm, between the values obtained based upon dekad measurements in
surrounding cities and a published chart.
SEDCAD 4 hydrology software (Warner et al., 1998) was used to calculate a peak flow rate of
46.2 m
3
/s and runoff depth of 98 mm for the watershed associated with the outlet of the
Kampala Masindi Serere Average of
three
locations
66.7% of
average
No. of years for
which a
complete record
is available
10 9 7
Ten-day
maximum
precipitation:
[mm]
156 200 238 197 132
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
8
aquaculture operation. These values were in reasonable agreement with hand-calculated values
based upon the SCS Curve Number Model.
The size of the watershed was estimated to be approximately four and one half km
2
. The
watershed was sectioned into three subwatersheds (SW1-3) having outlets associated with an
existing reservoir 0.5 km from the aquaculture location, the planned aquaculture reservoir, and
finally the aquaculture outlet (see figure 3).
Figure 3: Subwatershed areas and outlets.
The dimensions and slopes of the watersheds from the low-lying areas (indicated by shaded
crosshatching in figure 3) to the south boundaries were discerned based on the survey map
measurements and field observation. The dimensions and slopes to the north and west were
estimated based upon discussion with the ACM field leader, since no detailed topographic maps
were available for the area. The watershed crossed brushy and swampy areas and local village
lands, which hindered the determination of the watershed boundaries and slopes by
measurement. The times of concentration were estimated for each subwatershed and the distance
and slope along the flow path from outlet to outlet. Based on soil class D, and the vegetation
types observed in the subwatersheds, curve numbers of 89, 89, and 88 were assigned respectively
to SW1, SW2, and SW3. The 10-year, 6-hour design storm of 130 mm rainfall depth was used
for the simulation. The storm intensity pattern was based on NRCS Type II, which is more
Existing Ponds
≈
2 km
≈
1.5 km
≈
500m
≈
225m
SW1: 3.0 km
2
SW2: 1.0 km2 SW3: 0.46 km2
Outlet
New Reservoir Ponds
N
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
9
extreme than Type I, and may be more representative of the storm outbursts experienced in the
area. Another input setting is required for the software, indicating the relative runoff response of
the land being studied: fast, normal, or slow. The fast response setting was used as the soil in
the watershed was a sandy clay with a crusted surface. During the team’s visit, an intense
rainstorm was experienced; a rapid runoff was observed. SEDCAD 4 solves the peak flow of
each watershed and sums them by convolution, adjusting the peak flow for routing.
A grass spillway was designed to carry the 10-year peak flow around the aquaculture ponds to
the south. An iterative procedure of designing for stability, then designing for capacity was used
(Wilson, 1999). For the capacity calculations, retardance class B was assumed for the grass in
the lowland area, which is the class for 30 to 60-cm tall Bermuda grass. A conservative critical
velocity of 1.5 m/s was used. For the stability calculations, a height of 6.2 cm was assumed as a
result of grazing; retardance class D was chosen for this case. A spillway width of 50 m was
determined to be adequate to carry runoff around the ponds. At this width, the estimated 10-year
depth in the spillway would be 0.75 m. This depth seems reasonable given the testimony of
ACM’s field leader, who stated that the highest he has seen water in the lowland over the past
five years was “up to the belly of a horse.”
The water needs for the aquaculture operation were calculated based upon these assumptions:
six ponds total- three at 0.5 m depth, three at 1.8 m depth; reservoir is to provide makeup water
replacing daily evaporation and water change losses plus one fill per pond per year; reservoir to
have the capacity to sustain the operation in case of a three-month drought during the dry season
(January through March). A water balance was calculated for the ponds as follows:
P + I – E – S – OF - O = 0,
Where: P = precipitation
I = inflow from reservoir
E = evaporation
S = seepage
OF = overflow of precipitation; assume 50% of P
O = outflow for fresh water change
Estimates were made of precipitation, evaporation, seepage, and excess precipitation and water
change outflow. The inflow of make up water from the reservoir was determined using these
estimates. The Penman equation was used to estimate evaporation from the pond surfaces
(ASCE, 1990). Dew point temperature data from Nakasongola District were not available;
therefore estimates based on recent dew points and seasonal changes were utilized. An
evaporation model utilizing the Penman equation was calibrated with data from Texas, USA, an
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
10
area with similar climate and fauna, and from which input data and evaporation were known.
Table 2 shows the components of the water balance for each month of the year, given an average
precipitation pattern.
Table 2: Components of fish pond water balance components
Inputs Outputs
Precip-
itation
[mm]
Inflow
from
Reservoir
[mm]
Evapo-
ration
[mm]
Seepage
[mm]
Overflow
(est. half of
precip.)
[mm]
Daily
Water
Change
[mm]
Month P I E S OF O
January 46 230 193 30 23 30
February 38 236 195 30 19 30
March 118 188 217 0 59 30
April 184 131 193 0 92 30
May 162 125 176 0 81 30
June 82 187 168 30 41 30
July 63 212 184 30 32 30
August 104 155 177 0 52 30
September 97 190 208 0 49 30
October 145 161 203 0 72 30
November 151 135 181 0 76 30
December 87 201 185 30 43 30
Totals: 1277 2151 2279 150 639 360
The reservoir was sized to provide make up water for the ponds with consideration for
evaporation from the reservoir surface, plus a 20% safety factor. Selection of the surface area to
depth ratio balanced the positive attributes of a deeper reservoir against the ease of hand digging
a shallower structure. A deeper reservoir provides the needed storage capacity with a smaller
surface area and therefore less evaporation loss, cooler water temperatures, and greater capacity
to hold sediments. The plan for the reservoir identified a phase 1 and a phase 2 construction.
The phase 1 reservoir would provide water for the initial three ponds that are planned. The phase
2 reservoir could be constructed later if additional ponds are dug and the water needs warrant it.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
11
The low-lying area containing the aquaculture design, had a general slope of 0.6%, making it
difficult to obtain elevation head to gravity feed make up water from the reservoir to the ponds.
Figure 4 shows the elevations chosen for the structures.
Figure 4: Reservoir and pond water surface elevations
Runoff water available to fill the reservoir was conservatively estimated to be 10 per cent of the
precipitation on the water shed. During a year with a normal amount of precipitation, the
reservoir surface has been calculated to remain above the pond surface elevations, even with
one-month intervals between precipitation events. In drought conditions, it may be necessary to
pump water into the ponds to sustain the operation.
A graph providing estimated fill times for the two volumes of ponds with two pipe diameter
sizes, 10 cm (4 in.) and 15 cm (6 in.), was provided to the field. Final selection can be based
upon cost, availability, and time requirements. The Hazen-Williams equation with a
conservative coefficient (C = 100) was used to size the pipes (Yoo and Boyd, 1994).
Soil borings in the area of the swamp indicated that the upper 30 cm of soil was a sandy clay
loam, with an estimated clay content of 30 to 40 per cent. Below 50 cm, the clay content
3044.09 m (9987 ft)
Reservoir Water Level
3047.09 m (9997 ft)
Pond Nos. 1-4 Water Level
3046.30 m (9994.4 ft)
Pond Nos. 5-6 Water Level
3046.00 m (9993.4 ft)
Pond Nos. 1-3: 0.5 m deep (Tilapia)
Pond Nos. 4-6: 1.8 m deep (Nile Perch)
Approximate elevation of
surrounding landscape.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
12
increased to more than 50 per cent. Between 30 cm and 50 cm a band of loamy sand was found.
A cutoff trench, backfilled with compacted soil of clay content 35 per cent or higher, was
recommended around the perimeter of the reservoir and ponds to seal the structures from seepage
loss through the layer of loamy sand.
The recommended slopes were 3:1 for the inside of the reservoir, 2:1 for the inside of the ponds,
and 1.5:1 for the outside of the ponds (Yoo and Boyd, 1994). The south side of the reservoir was
designed as part of the emergency spillway. The recommended slope for this side was between 3
and 5:1. Figure 5 shows the structure cross sections.
Figure 5: Reservoir and pond berm cross sections
3 to 5
1
3
1
Section A-A: berm around perimeter of fish ponds.
Section B-B: berm between fish ponds.
Section C-C: berm along spillway edge of reservoir.
1.5
1
2
1
Sandy clay
Impermeable layer
Permeable layer of loamy sand
Packed sandy clay/clay
0.5 m
1.0 m min.
2
1
2
1
Alternate locations of
cutoff trench
Reservoir
Fish Pond
Fish Pond
Fish Pond
Cutoff Trench filled and packed with impervious clay
Line reservoir and ponds with
impervious clay and overlay with 10cm
of top soil for improved fertility.
Elevation 9997 ft (3047.09 m)
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
13
Discussion
Numerous assumptions and estimates were made for input parameters of the hydrologic analysis.
Under routine situations these assumptions and estimates would be challenged as not having
scientific basis. However, given the limited data available, and understanding the reasons
therefore, those attempting to design in these situations must make the best, educated estimates
and decisions possible with the given information. Consideration for potential errors include, but
are not limited to: actual annual precipitation is less than estimated, seepage losses are more
than estimated, the watershed is smaller than estimated. Phase I of the aquaculture project
includes construction of three fish ponds and a 3600 m
2
reservoir. The reservoir is oversized to
account for uncertainties in the inputs. Two existing reservoirs with a total of 8000 m
2
area and
four-meter depth are located on the ranch approximately 0.5 km from the proposed aquaculture
operation. Used for watering livestock, these structures have held water through drought years in
the past decade. This anecdotal information lends to the confidence of the proposed design.
The data used for the precipitation estimate of 1277 mm, spanned the years from 1971 to 1998
and was accessed from the Africa Data Dissemination website in December, 2001. Additional
data has since been located that supports this estimate. A long-term annual rainfall estimate,
based upon 727 months from 1915 to 1978, of 1253 mm was found for the region which would
include the latitude and longitude position, and elevation of Ekitangaala Ranch
(Worldclimate.com). Rainfall data are available on the Center for Natural Resources
Information Technology website (Texas A&M) for the last two years from a reporting station in
close proximity to the ranch, estimated differences in latitude and longitude are 0.010
°
S and
0.006
°
W. The data set is complete for year 2000; total rainfall was reported as 1287 mm.
The Ugandan government is conducting pond aquaculture research within the country. The
operation at Ekitangaala Ranch anticipates benefiting from knowledge gained from this research.
In fact, the pond areas and depths used for the design were based upon in-country findings.
ACM intends to construct the reservoir and ponds with local labor. Although the project will
proceed more slowly by hand than if heavy earth-moving equipment were used, there is a short-
term benefit of job opportunities for people in the surrounding community, and the key long-
term benefit of community ownership in the operation. Funds to pay for wages, materials, and
start-up costs will come from private donations obtained primarily from contacts in the United
States.
Relationships made with nationals were a valuable and motivating aspect of the team’s
experience. The Ugandans highly value relationships; conversation and human closeness are
important, which taught the team that these relational aspects are as important, or more important
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
14
to the future of the envisioned projects than the technical aspects are. The EMI team found that
more was gained from than given to the friendships made during the visit.
Surveying and geographic information tools exist that could have increased the speed of the
topographic survey at the ranch site. One of the challenges of assembling a regionally-
distributed team of members who are not familiar with one another is the determination of who
will bring which pieces of equipment on the journey. Detailed pre-trip communication is
recommended to decide the equipment to be transported, given the rigors of travel, the value of
the tools, and the needs of the project.
Conclusion
A design team of eleven professionals, including two agricultural engineers, visited a working
dairy-cattle ranch in Nakasongola District of central Uganda at the request of African Children’s
Mission, for the purpose of designing buildings and a pond aquaculture operation near the ranch.
The team was recruited from various parts of the U.S. by Engineering Ministries International, a
non-profit organization dedicated to serving the poor by donating design skills. African
Children’s Mission works under the auspices of Cornerstone Development Uganda, a charitable
organization chartered to meet the needs of the poor of Uganda. A key component of
Cornerstone’s work is the establishment of schools to provide education and vocational and
leadership training for the people of the remote surrounding villages.
The design team worked with national Ugandans, many who will be involved in the construction
phase of the project and in the operation of the new programs associated with them. The
relational aspects of the visit were key in providing information for the designs, and in
developing local support for the work. Climatic and topographic information for the remote
region was limited, necessitating the use of assumptions during the design of the pond
aquaculture operation. Intense search of internet databases may have yielded more information.
Historical events can change the living conditions of a population. Engineers living in
conditions of sufficiency can make themselves and their technical talents available to improve
the living conditions of peoples through community development aimed at returning the society
to self-determination. Today’s political events will create tomorrow’s opportunities to serve.
More Information can be received on Cornerstone Development Uganda by writing to them at:
Cornerstone Development Uganda/P.O. Box 9242/Kampala, Uganda.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
15
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
16
References
ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 70. 1990.
Evapotranspiration and
Irrigation Water Requirements
. New York, New York: American Society of Civil
Engineers.
African Children’s Mission, Available at:
http://www.acm-ea.org
. Accessed on 22 July 2002.
Africa Data Dissemination Service, Site Version 2.3.2. Available at:
http://edcsnw4.cr.usgs.gov/adds/toolsdata.php?tool=rm.
Accessed on 25 July 2002.
Engineering Ministries International, Available at:
http://emiusa.org
. Accessed on 22 July, 2002.
Goertzen, T. 1988.
Hand-built Earthen Micro-dams
. Burkina Faso: Mennonite Central
Committee.
Kamali, A., J. A. Seeley, A. J. Nunn, J. F. Kengeya-Kayondo, A. Ruberantwari, and D. W.
Mulder. 1996. The Orphan Problem: Experience of a sub-Saharan Africa Rural
Population in the AIDS Epidemic. AIDS Care 8(5):509-515.
Miller, J. 2000. Cornerstone Development Uganda. In-Roads On-line Journal Case Study;
Eastern University - The Campolo School for Social Change. Available at:
http://www.gcar.org/website%20work/Case%20Studies/Community_Development/cornerstone_developme
nt_uganda.htm
. Accessed on 22 July 2002.
Museveni, Y. K., E. Kanyogonya ed. 2000.
What is Africa’s Problem?
Minneapolis, MN:
University of Minnesota Press.
Pirouet, M. L. 1995.
Historical Dictionary of Uganda.
London: Metuchen.
Seeley, J., E. Kajura, C. Bachengana, M. Okongo, U. Wagner, and D. W. Mulder. 1993. The
Extended Family and Support for People with AIDS in a Rural Population in South West
Uganda: a Safety Net with Holes? AIDS Care 5:117-122.
Texas A&M University, Available at:
http://cnrit.tamu.edu/ndvi/Rainfall/R20.htm
. Accessed on 22
July, 2002.
Tumusiime, J. ed. 1994.
Uganda 30 Years 1962-1992.
Kampala: Fountain Publishers Ltd.
Feyereisen, G. “Social and Economic Aspects of an Aquacultural Development Project in the
Nakasongola District of Uganda”. Agricultural Engineering International: the CIGR Journal of
Scientific Research and Development. Invited Overview Paper. Presented at the Special Session
on Agricultural Engineering and International Development in the Third Millennium. ASAE
Annual International Meeting/CIGR World Congress, July 30, 2002, Chicago, IL. USA. Vol. IV.
September, 2002.
17
Yoo, K.H. and C.E. Boyd. 1994.
Hydrology and Water Supply for Pond Aquaculture
. New
York, New York: Chapman and Hall.
Warner, R. C., P. J. Schwab, and D. J. Marshall. 1998.
SEDCAD 4 for Windows Design Manual
and User’s Guide.
Civil Software Design. Ames, IA: Civil Software Design.
Whitworth, J. A. G. 1999. Medical Research Council Programme on AIDS in Uganda – the first
10 years. Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 24(3):179-184.
Wilson, B.N. 1999. Watershed Engineering. Class notes from BAE 5513. St. Paul, Minnesota:
University of Minnesota - Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.
Worldclimate.com. Available at: http://www.worldclimate.com/cgi-
bin/data.pl?ref=N01E032+2100+
6368202G1
. Accessed on 14 October 2002.
