The project seeks to provide renewable energy and improve water quality for improved environmental health of the indigenous people of Igbokoda, through clearing of water ways of the menacing water hyacinth. Ilaje LGA is faced with serious environmental challenges including water pollution by water hyacinth, oil spillage, poor waste management and felling of trees for cooking and smoking of fish. In Igbokoda, human faeces, household waste and pig dungs, which speed up the seed growth and spread of the water hyacinth, are dumped into the water courses, resulting into health hazards like water borne illnesses as the people drink from this water. Water hyacinth further blocks the waterways, impounding on the daily income of the fishermen who are limited by the water bodies covered by the invasive plant. Up to 90% of wastewater in developing countries like Nigeria flows untreated into rivers, lakes and highly productive coastal zones threatening health, food security and access to safe drinking water (UN Water, 2014). The project therefore, will enhance water quality by maximizing the water plants into fertilizer, bio-gas and art crafts like weaved bags, shoes and mats. Embedded in the project is the livelihood program on modern fish smoking technology. Project activities include Mobilization/Baseline Survey, Formation of Project Coordinating Team, Stakeholders? Engagement, Construction of Production Center, Training on water hyacinth processing and Installation of smoking technology and Lessons Learnt/Knowledge Fair for global knowledge management.
Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State is faced with environmental challenges of water pollution by water hyacinth, oil spillage, poor waste management, wood burning and felling of trees for cooking and smoking of fish. The location of Ilaje is relevant to GEF OP6 focal area on international waters and the cut crossing objective of social inclusion of gender, youth and indigenous people who will make up the beneficiaries of this project.
The project enhances water quality by maximizing the menacing water plants into fertilizer and art crafts like weaved bags, shoes and mats. Embedded in the project is the livelihood program on smoked fish production via modern smoked fish kiln and technologies. The activities include Baseline Survey, Engagement of Stakeholders, Construction of Production Center, Training on water hyacinth processing and Knowledge Fair for impact documentation/M&E activities. Project indicators include one modern smoking kiln, 500 beneficiaries from the project, one digester for water hyacinth processing.
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