Nile Breweries recently hosted a WWF-AB InBev water stewardship workshop in Igongo, Mbarara. Attendees included conservationists from Uganda, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania. The four-day workshop focused on water stewardship initiatives and their measurable impact across Africa.

The theme of the workshop was “Partnerships for Impact: Measuring Our Water Stewardship Impact in Africa.” One of the key areas of discussion was the restoration of River Rwizi, a vital water source that has suffered from degradation. Our MD, Adu Rando, emphasized the importance of this partnership between WWF and AB InBev in restoring the Rwizi catchment area. He stressed the crucial role of water availability and quality for thriving communities.

To date, our interventions have yielded significant results in improving water quality and quantity, while also enhancing the socio-economic resilience of the affected communities. Some notable achievements include:

• Mapping and demarcating 270 hectares, with 18.3 hectares already restored along a 27km stretch of the Rwizi in Mbarara city.
• Developing and implementing micro-catchment management plans.
• Implementing soil and water conservation measures, such as native tree planting and monitoring water quality and quantity.
• Training 114 participants in scaling-up workshops and field activities.
• Creating alternative community livelihood opportunities, including beekeeping, cattle and goat rearing, craft making, and a revolving fund to reduce dependence on the river buffer.
• Mobilizing 1,076 households to adopt sustainable land management practices, such as trenches, to improve soil fertility, reduce soil erosion, and prevent river sedimentation.
• Installing nine rain harvesting systems, providing clean drinking water to 95 households.

We recognise that healthy ecosystems are essential for the long-term sustainability of our business. By working together with conservation organisations and local communities, we can make a significant contribution to preserving Africa’s natural heritage for generations to come.