On the 29th of April 2021, the Sudan Nile Discourse Forum (SNDF) celebrated National Nile Day 2021 at Khartoum under the theme "The role and voice of the local communities on Nile Basin development" Within the activities of the NBD regional Nile day year".

Sixty one (61) participants from local communities attended the national Nile day celebration. The event was also graced by a wide participation from the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, water experts, Civil Society Organizations, primary school students, Forest National Corporation Khartoum state, the media fraternity, SNDF volunteers, and SNDF Executive Committee members.

While giving his opening remarks, the Under-Secretary of Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources expressed his gratitude to the SNDF and NBD for organizing this celebration of National Nile day. He explained that “the recent years, Sudan has been facing a number of challenges, especially in areas related to environment and water issues, such as deforestation, lack of pastoral resources, misuse of water resources, land degradation, and climate change.”

Sudan is in the process of concluding many agreements and treaties related to the water of the Nile and the large development projects that will be established on it in the future. It was necessary therefore that SNDF continuously enlightens communities in Sudan and others around the Nile Basin of the importance of these development projects.

The National Nile Day celebration in Sudan aimed at improving the communities' knowledge of the Nile Basin environment to become more informed and prepare for participation in the current and future investment projects in the Nile Basin.

• Creating consensus on the roles of local communities' indigenous knowledge in the Nile basin development

• Creating a spirit of cooperation between Nile communities in the Sudan to improve Nile Basin environment for development and prosperity.

• Raising awareness and encouraging culture of participation in environment and water resources management among Nile communities and stakeholders in the Sudan.

• Establish a feedback mechanism for community participation for future development projects in the Sudan.

In his presentation, Dr. Ahmed Adam Mohamed, a water expert and who also engineer and Ex Undersecretary of Ministry of irrigation and water resources, he focused on the largest investments project on the Nile basin internal and external of the Sudan land. On other hand the presentation focused on the challenges that faced all communities of the Nile basin such as poverty – climate change –Droughts - floods – soil erosion - adjustment of river flow and water quotas .

The lecture focused on opportunities available in joint cooperation between the Nile basin countries, to benefit from the implementing major development projects such as two-way trade – hydro-power generation –reducing evaporation –control and regulation of river discharge (flood period 3 months) – Economic integration (Ethiopia energy, Sudan agriculture ,Egypt manufacturing.

A competition was held to detect knowledge of children on Nile through drawing

15 students from different age groups participated (4 females – 11 males). The competition's objective was to produce drawings reflecting the Nile and the environment by Children's Eyes. The competition started by the orientation about the environment and some photos of environmental violations.

There were also other activities like exhibition of various pictures of Nile and distributed about 200 seedlings in Arkwit Block 68 surrounding SNDF office and two main streets. Seedling were planted with partnership of Forests Cooperation Khartoum state and Green Khartoum initiative.

• Awareness of participants through discussions and lecture

• Dissemination of information about the investment projects to more than 60 people through the various media outlets.

• Creation of partnership with many governmental and civil society of common interest was created

• Activation of media network for the Nile Basin environment

• Commitment to conduct an environmental feasibility study for projects on the Nile, inside and outside Sudan.

• The importance of joint cooperation between the Basin countries in planning and implementing projects to save on effort and money.

• The importance of the role of media in spreading knowledge among the Nile Basin communities about development projects, (advantages and disadvantages).

• Pressuring governments to involve communities on projects planning before their establishment.

• The spread of Covid-19 made the work movement and organization very difficult.

• Covid-19 effect on the number and diversity of attendance - according to commitment, distances, and health conditions of would be participants

• Working in groups and forming smart partnerships helps in carrying out the work successfully.

• Ensure high dissemination of information through various media.

Between July 2020 and February 2021, Governance Links Tanzania, a member of Tanzania Nile Discourse Forum conducted a study on Business and Human Rights Footprint in the Construction Of Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project.

The overall objective of this study was to assess how the Tanzania section of the Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project is complying with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and specifically the requirement of human rights due diligence. The project’s human rights footprint was most significant on economic rights of communities, particularly related to land rights and livelihood opportunities. These impacts were overall well mitigated by the project and the affected people considered the compensations received as sufficient. While the project was found to positively contribute to employment and business opportunities, negative footprints on health and environment seem insufficiently addressed.

The Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project (RRFHP) is a hydropower project under joint development by the Governments of Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania. This joint development was entered through a Tripartite Agreement signed on February, 2012. Rusumo Falls is located on the Kagera River, on the border between Rwanda (Southeast) and Tanzania (Northwest), about 25 kilometers of the common border point between Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania. The RRFHP is championed by the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), the intergovernmental partnership of 10 Nile Basin countries including Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania, and its investment arm, the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program Coordination Unit (NELSAP-CU).

The RRFHP is developed to address an acute shortage of electricity experienced by the three Kagera sub-region countries of Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania which is negatively affecting their economies and the livelihoods of their riparian citizens. The project will enhance regional cooperation, peace building, support sustainable management of the Kagera river basin and promote growth and poverty reduction whilst managing environmental aspects. Constructions on the RRFHP started in March 2017 and is planned to be completed this year 2021.

In Tanzania side, Ngara district, around 39,300 people in 8,360 households were directly affected by the RRFHP (16,200 people in Rusumo village and 23,100 in Kasulo village). In Rusumo village, households were relocated to allow space for the installation of a power generation turbine system.

The project’s ESIA acknowledged that there would be substantial impact on flora and fauna due to the construction of a dam on the Kagera River and the diversion of the Kagera River to bypass the Rusumo Falls (after which it rejoins its course further downstream). Ecological impact is particularly expected due to disturbance of a forest to make a way for the dam. The forest cover used to host monkeys and a diversity of birds that are of great aesthetic value.

Compliance with human rights due diligence - From the World Bank’s perspective, the Environmental and Social Safeguards of the RRFHP evaluated as high risk, because the negative impacts can be significant. Therefore, contractors were jointly obliged to develop a detailed Environmental, Social, Health and Safety Management Plan (ESHS-MP), to detail and outline mitigation measures and monitor impacts. Similarly, the project’s ESIA, approved by Tanzania’s National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), also assessed risks and proposed mitigation measures.

The RRFHP provides a useful learning point for corporate responsibility in complying with the UNGPs: the following recommendations were brought down by Governance Links Tanzania:

Overall, the project’s human rights footprint was most significant on economic rights of communities, particularly on land and livelihoods. Communities in Rusumo village experienced the most direct impact due to forced relocations, while those in Kasulo village suffered from limited access to their land. These impacts were compensated by the RRFH project. Affected people considered these compensations sufficient to enable them to resettle with stability. The project is also found to positively contribute to employment and business opportunities. Impacts on socio- cultural rights seem limited and, where present, considered sufficiently. Moving forward, greater attention needs to be paid to health and environmental mitigation measures, which – at present – do not suffice considering the impact of the project. Further, strengthening the impact monitoring of project activities and ensuring transparent communication will greatly add value to demonstration of accountability in this large-scale infrastructure project.

The Orange Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (OFSP) have been promoted due to its added value, as they are source of vitamin A content for rural farming communities.

TAHEA works in partnership with other Organizations to promote Sweet Potato Production especially Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) for health, nutrition, food security and income for resource poor households.

In the line with the project implementation, TAHEA trained Ukerewe prison officials on benefits of Orange sweet potatoes. The objective of training prison officials was to later replicate the acquired knowledge in respective prisons.

TAHEA conducted several trainings to farmers on crop farming, processing, storage, product development, utilization and marketing. It also conducted nutrition education and demonstration of sweet potato improved dishes for household utilization.

After a year, the Ukerewe Prison Medical Officer narrated that, the Monthly Medical Kit provided by the Government was previously finished out in less than two weeks. Now the Kit goes to One and a half months due to Health improvements of the Prisoners; as they eat raw and cooked OFSP.

Currently, the organization implements three main Programs: Agriculture, Education and Health under which 7 projects are currently operating.

TAHEA urges other Agriculturists, Health and Home Economist stakeholders, Civil Society Organizations and Government at large to incorporate the OFSP agenda in their implementation activities as it has proved positively as a source of VITAMIN A.

- OFSP leaves as vegetables can also sell and/or process and sundry for future use.

- OFSP Roots for food and/ or processing for flour. The OFSP flour can be used for confectionary making Queen Cakes, spaghetti, Bans, Samosa and the like

- OFSP Vines as for feeding animals and/or used for seedlings.