9 ECONOMIC VALUE OF RIVERS IN UGANDA

Rivers are the source of water for domestic, industrial, and recreational purposes. For instance, Mbarara town gets water for domestic use from River Rwizi, and Nile breweries use water from River Nile as raw material in making beer hence the provision of jobs to Ugandans and government revenue.

The water from rivers like Mubuku and Manafa is used to facilitate irrigation at the Mubuku irrigation scheme in Kasese and Doho in eastern Uganda respectively. Such schemes have increased on food production and foreign exchange after rice and vegetable exports.
Rivers facilitate the generation of Hydro Electric Power like Owen falls dam and Bujagali dams on River Nile, Mubuku power station on River Mubuku, etc. Hydro Electric Power has lead to industrial development thus infrastructure development and jobs to Ugandans.

Rivers provide cheap water transport by ferry means like on lake Victoria. This has developed local trade, provided incomes to transporters hence improved living standards.
The papyrus swamps which develop along river banks such as on River Katonga and Mpologoma are potential raw materials for paper, packing, cardboard, roofing materials, and the general development of the craft industry thus employment to Ugandans.
Rivers are tourist attractions especially the waterfalls of Murchison, Bajagali, Sipi, and Karuma falls. The meandering nature of River Rwizi attracts tourists for foreign exchange in terms of invisible export which is used for further development.

Rivers like the Nile provide fishing grounds and fish caught for local consumption and for sale. The swampy areas along River Katonga provide mudfish, which provide proteins and are sold for better incomes to Ugandans.
The swampy areas and wetlands along river channels are natural habitats for wild animals, birds, and other marine life. Shoe bills and crested cranes survive in River Nile wetlands attracting tourists for foreign exchange.
There is clay mining along rivers like Katonga and Mpologoma for bricklaying thus the development of small-scale industries for jobs to Ugandans.

Rivers like the Nakivubo channel help to regulate the environmental impurities that would directly enter Lake Victoria leading to its pollution. Also, rivers modify the climate where they exist like river Manafa form reliable rainfall which supports rice and other crop growing in eastern Uganda.
River banks like Albert Nile have got fertile soils in West Nile areas supporting tobacco and other crop growing. This also has attracted settlement in the areas of Nebbi, Arua, etc. the grown crops have contributed foreign exchange to Uganda through exportation.

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