Revolutionizing Freshwater Conservation: WWF Uganda's eDNA Project Aims to Unveil Biodiversity Secrets of Lake Kyoga

Posted on 2 April 2024

WWF Uganda, in collaboration with the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) and the Blue-Heart of Africa Initiative, has embarked on a pioneering project to collect environmental Deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) samples from the Lake Kyoga system.

This initiative is part of a broader effort, funded by the Pictet Foundation, to assess freshwater biodiversity and fisheries across Africa using eDNA technology.

The project targets four major river and lake basins: Lake Kyoga Basin, Mara River Basin, River Limpopo Basin, and the Congo River Basin. By leveraging eDNA sampling, researchers can gain insights into the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems without resorting to traditional capture and release methods, thereby minimizing disturbance to wildlife.

Nature Metrics, a leading nature intelligence technology company, will analyze the collected samples. This company specializes in providing comprehensive nature monitoring and impact reporting solutions, ensuring that the data gathered from Lake Kyoga and other locations will contribute significantly to our understanding of freshwater biodiversity and assist in conservation efforts across the continent.

With funding from Pictet Foundation from Switzerland, the project aims at successfully growing the evidence base for and awareness of freshwater biodiversity globally through cost-effective monitoring technology (eDNA).

The project will demonstrate the usefulness of this data and value of freshwater biodiversity to public sector decision makers and private sector companies, such as those who want to plan their operations and investments in river basins more sustainably.

A team of experts collecting environmental Deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) samples from the Lake Kyoga system.