Monday, November 2, 2015

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, UGANDA CHAPTER, A CASE OF BUDUDA LANDSLIDES



While many of the environmental impacts of humankind closely map demographic indicators, this leaves out one vital component: consumption. The per-capita consumption of key natural resources varies hugely around the world. Typically, but not universally, the citizens of rich industrialized nations use more of the world’s resources and produce more waste. Sometimes they thereby deplete their own environments; sometimes other people’s.

Uganda being a land locked and developing nation with middle income levels located in the heart of Africa, Bududa District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Bududa, at 01°01′N 34°20′E Coordinates: 01°01′N 34°20′E. Area Land is 250.8 km2 (96.8 sq mi) and the Elevation being 1,800 m (5,900 ft). According to 2012 state of Uganda’s population, it is Estimated that Bududda’s total Population is 180,600 and the population  density 720.1/km2 (1,865/sq mi)

Bududa District is bordered by Sironko District to the north, the Republic of Kenya to the east, Manafwa District to the south and Mbale District to the west. The district headquarters at Bududa are located approximately 23 kilometres (14 mi), by road, southeast of Mbale, the largest city in the sub-region. It is a relatively new district that was created in 2006, by Act of Parliament. It was originally part of the greater Mbale District and then Manafwa District. The district consists of one county, sixteen sub-counties and one town council. It is largely a rural district with eight urban growth centers which are in the process of turning into town councils. The eight urban centers in Bududa District are: Bududa, Bukalasi, Bushiika, Bumayoka, Bunamubi, Kyikholo, Bulucheke and Bukigai

The district lies at an average altitude of 1,800 metres (5,900 ft) above sea level. It has unique relief consisting of ridges, cliffs and bamboo forest. It has a bimodal rainfall pattern with no dry season. Mount Elgon National Park covers approximately 40% of the district. In 1991, the national population census estimated the district population at about 79,200. During the 2002 national census, the district population was estimated at about 123,100, with an annual growth rate of 4%. In 2012, the population of Bududa District was estimated at approximately 180,600. The male to female ratio is 1:1. The major language spoken in the district is Lumasaba.

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of the district. The fertile volcanic soils and the abundant rainfall (average 1,500mm/year), ensure ample yields of both cash and food crops. Some of the crops grown include: coffee, beans, bananas, matooke, cabbage, tomatoes and other green vegetables. During the 2012 flood, landslides wreaked this mountainous eastern region of the of the country and claimed many lives and property, as the government made plans to move out residents. This is line with the purpose of the sendai framework to the risk of small-scale and large-scale, frequent and infrequent, sudden and slow-onset disasters, caused by natural or manmade hazards as well as related environmental, technological and biological hazards and risks as It aims to guide the multi-hazard management of disaster risk in development at all levels as well as within and across all sectors