GLOW 9 - Emerging frontiers for Africa Great Lakes

Food security and safety are high on the agendas of many international and national organizations, ranging from NGOs to the UN to International Financing Institutions. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the follow-up to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), aim at many things, including zero hunger and life under water (SDG 14), among others. However, this SDG 14 aims at seas and oceans only. Unfortunately Africa’s huge freshwater resources, including lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and wetlands, have been ignored. We believe it is high time to focus on Africa’s inland aquatic resources including African Great Lakes with respect to emerging Blue Economy and Blue Growth Initiative, and especially ecosystem services.

Thus, the over-arching theme for the GLOW 9 conference will be African freshwaters. This special conference will give scientists, fisheries professionals, biodiversity experts and limnologists the opportunity to share their thoughts on a special platform. Sharing experiences will enrich our knowledge on the freshwater sector all over the continent. Seven out of nine GLOWs have been convened in Africa and we are excited to convene the 9th GLOW in beautiful Kisumu, Kenya.