Lake Victoria Research Initiative (VicRes) is a unique window for supporting inter- and multi-disciplinary research that would contribute towards poverty reduction and environmental restoration in the Lake Victoria Basin. VicRes was  established in 2002 through a series of consultations involving academics, researchers and stakeholders drawn from universities and research organizations in East Africa, and Sida/SAREC. It is funded by Sida/SAREC.

 VicRes is hosted by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) at its headquaters in Kampala, Uganda. The IUCEA is one of the autonomous institutions of the East African Community (EAC). Its mission is to encourage and develop mutually beneficial collaboration between member universities and, between them and other organizations, both public and private.  Details on IUCEA and the other IUCEA projects can be obtained from www.iucea.org.

As part of its commitment to promote regional interaction among EAC Partner States of uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, a part from VicRes, the IUCEA hosts and/or implements a number of other projects and programmes in partnership with organisations such as the Rockfeller Foundation, DAAD and the East African Development Bank. These include the East African Regional Programme for Biotechnology, Biosafety and Biotechnology Policy Development (Bio-Earn) that involves scientists from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Details on Bio-Earn cab be obtained from www.bioearn.org.

VicRes is implemented through a secretariat (VicSec) - closely working with Policy Advisory Committee (VicPac) and Scientific Advisory Committee (VicSac). The latter draws membership from the East African Community (EAC) Partner States. For the past only Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania had membership in the Advisory Committees. Rwanda and Burundi, which were admitted to EAC membership in November 2006 are expected to be represented in the two Committees by mid 2007.

Implementation of  research activities also involves host institutions which include IUCEA member Universities and other East African institutions that have the capacity to undertake research. Each host institution must have a formal agreement signed with IUCEA.

Goals and objectives of VicRes

The overall goals of VicRes are:

1. To promote sustainable livelihood and natural resources management in the Lake Victoria Basin
2. To re-invigorate research and stimulate discussions on issues that affect people and environment of the Lake Victoria Basin

The objectives of VicRes are:

1. To enhance knowledge on land-human-environment interactions so as to justify interventions relevant to poverty reduction and environmental restoration
2. To promote access to research findings in and outside the East African region for effective decision-making.

VicRes activities are implemented in Phases of Thematic Areas approved by the VicPac in consultation with VicSac and Sida/SAREC. The first Phase of funding (2003-2005) focused on various aspects of Wetlands and Land use implemented on a stepwise basis. The second Phase (2006-2008) added the Thematic area of Water Catchment Management and Conservation. The topics under these Thematic Areas hve evolved into the folowing clusters - ethno botany and Indigenous Knowledge, aquaculture technologies, water pollution/heavy metals, resource management and planning, and sustainbale land use options.

In tandem with increasing realization of the positive impact of consutations in research and develoment (R&D) and, the growing trends in interventional managerial decision-making, VicRes is encouraging an inter- and multi-disciplinary approach to research, which increasingly utilizes applications of more than one technique. This  approach promotes interactions between individuals from different training backgrounds and institutions in EAC Partner States.

VicRes Funding Process

Project funding process starts with the call for proposals in Daily Newspapers of EAC Partners States and the East African, a weekly regional Newspaper. The same is posted on IUCEA and VicRes websites (i.e. www.iucea.org and www.vicres.net, respectively) and/or send to Partner Institutions as posters.

While potential researchers start interactions through e-mail consultations towards development of a full proposals, VicSec facilitates team formation meetings in potential institutions in the region. The information on contacts and topics obtained from participants of these meetings is shared with potential researchers to enable them identify team members and a topic for joint research. A workshop is then organized to give those members, who are interacting by e-mail for the first time, an opportunity to meet and harmonize their ideas/concepts.

Selection of the projects to be funded is done on a competitive basis in conformity to IUCEA's goal of promotion quality academic and research in the region. Three peers (two from East Africa and one from outside) review each proposal that meets VicRes requirements.

The final decision on fundable proposal is done by the Scientific Advisory Committee (VicSac) based on peer review reports. A successful proposal is funded up to a tune of US $50,000 and may be renewed twice.

The pre-project funding process underscores an interactive system with in-built mechanisms for transparency, capcity building (individual/institution), quality control and linkages of research with policy.

Eligibility of the funds

The funds are granted to a team of (at least three) researchers, that has developed a fundable project, closely to work with young researchers as assistants. The members must be drawn from at least two countries of the EAC Partner States - Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Each project must have a lead scientist who must be a PhD holder and an elaborate research profile and, must be affiliated to a recognized institution in the region. Women, social scientists and young researchers are encouraged to participate.

Gender and Environmental Concerns

VicRes has affirmative actions to engender team composition. Out of 240 scientists undertaking research as of December 2006, 72 (i.e. 30%) were women researchers. In addition, the application form requires that gender consideration be explicitly incorporated in the proposal. VicSec commissioned a gender analysis of VicRes activities late this year. The recommendations of the gender report have been incorporated in VicRes Phase II Document.

Further, all proposals must be clear on how planned activities will incorporate environmental concerns.  

In conformity to objetcive 2 of VicRes, the infomration generated through funded activities should be shared through the folowing different forums:

        i. Team formation Meetings –: held in the target institutions. The meetings are attended by prospective and funded researchers. Participants offered suggestions on various VicRes activities.

       ii. Annual Forums (AF): - The participants included representatives of IUCEA member Universities, institutions working in the LVB, the civil society, farming and media communities. Through cluster workshops and plenary sessions they share findings/results of projects that are at different levels. 

     iii. Community meetings: - are used by research teams to share project process with   grassroots stakeholders.

     iv. Newspaper supplements: - In January 2006 VicRes put a newspaper supplement in different Local dailies and the East Africa weekly Newspaper. The focus was on VicRes, initial findings and accomplishment since its inception in 2002. An advertisement on IUCEA activities made in December 2006 included an elaborated item on opportunities offered by VicRes to regional research. There was also a story on Mushrooms and Pesticides projects in The New Vision, a Ugandan Daily Newspaper.

      v.Published and unpublished: - With VicRes sponsorship, researchers share their findings at local and international conferences, seminars and workshops. . A number of projects share their findings/results through rganized regional workshops.

 Key Challenges

1.0 Low participation of women and social researhers

Dring Phase I, particpation of women and scial researchers was poor. Out of 240 researchers funded, only 72 were women. Based on the recomendations of a gener analysis study, VicSec intends to develop a strategy to address this disparity, which will inclde closely working with the advisory Cmmittees, enhancing the role of focal points at host insttutions and individual researchers to bring on boar more women and social scientists.

2.0 Low peoposal success rate

Phase I identified poor proposal writing skills as a major cause of low  success rate of proposal submitted for VicRes competition. Out of 37 proposals submitted for peer review in 203, only 13 qualified for funding. The number increased in 2006 with 17 proposals aproved for funding out of 84 proposals submitted. VicRes intends to address this weakness through short-term courses on proposal writing and mentoring activities.

Key Lessons Learned from VicRes Phase I

During Phase I, VicSec learned the following important lessons for sharing:

1.0     Broad based and wide consultations approach used during the design and implementation of VicRes has contributed to project ownership by the scientific community of East Africa. However, extensive consultations have led to high expectations, which cannot be met within the initial framework of VicRes funding. 

2.0       Multi-stakeholder processes (including team building) take time, as consensus building is required at all stages due to different expectations. More time is therefore needed before the scientific community in the region can deliver tangible results eagerly needed to inform policy agendas.

3.0    Success of multi- and inter-disciplinary projects depends on willingness of team members to interact and therefore take advantage of skills/expertise from other disciplines. In realization of this, VicRes met with challenges of social-cultural preferences and gender considerations that had first to be addressed.

 4.0    VicRes is one of the actors addressing problems in the LVB. The need to support  complementarity initiatives cannot be questioned. While such a move will somewhat leverage the current resource base, to a large extent it will enhance the profile of VicRes in the region.

Monitoring of Projects

Monitoring is a continuous process of assessing the implementation of approved activities based on the approved work plan and budget. it involves submission of progress reports by the lead scientist, administration of questionnaires and , visiting and discussing project progress with researchers and other actors on the ground. The VicRes Coordinator and VicPac undertake monitoring, at least once a year.

VicRes Beneficiaries and Partners

VicRes is benefitting different stakeholders. Staff of universities and other research institutions are benefitting through funds secured, skills gained and materials/equipment to be received upon completion of project activities. Over 30 million residents of the LVB are benefiting through improved access to information and/or technological innovations. Further, the wider scientific community is benefiting through enhanced scientific networks and information generated.

The major partners of VicRes are IUCEA member Universities, Research Institutes and other  organizations that have the capacity to conduct research. Our major stakeholder is the 'mwananchi' who is the end user of the innovations and findings/results being generated.

VicRes Since November 2002

Since it inception in November 2002, VicRes been a unique window for East African scientist working in the Lake Victoria region. With funding fousing mainly on various aspects of wetland, land use and water catchment management and conservation, the Initiative is supporting various research activities.

A secretariat with modern infrastrcture exists and is functional. It has three staff - the Coordinator, the Project Officer and the Project Assistant. The secretariat has adminstered four research competitions and effectively monitored the implmentation of approved activities.

There are two Advisory Committees, with membership from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. They have been holding regular meetings as part of the mandate to guide the operations of the secretariat.

As of December 2006 VicRes had more than 240 researchers, involving 57 projects. Each project has at least 2 research assistants/technicians who are junior staff and/or PhD and masters students in Partner Institutions.

VicRes has held 3 Annual Forums (AF), which are equivalent to Annual General Meetings. Findings/results of on-going studies are shared during the AF which are also attended by senior scientists from IUCEA Member universities, rergional organisations and staff of Sida/SAREC. 

Research findings/results have been disseminated in a form of two manuscripts - Regional synthesis of Wetland and Land use research and published and unpublished papers presented at regional and international conferences.

VicRes Annual  Calender of Events

• Call for Proposals - January
• Team formation meetings - January-March
• Harmonization Worshop - March/April
• Deadline for receiving proposals -15th April;
• Submission of proposals to peer reviewers - April/May;
• VicRes Annual Forum - May
• VicSac meeting to select proposals - July/August;
• 1st communication on the status of the proposal - August;
• Submission of polished proposals - September/October;
• Disbursement of funds - October/December;
• Monitoring of funded activities - March/Ocober/November
• Joing Meetings of the Management Committee - July