KISUMU, Kenya, Feb 18 – The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) has operationalised a new regional Water Information System aimed at transforming how shared water resources are managed across the Lake Victoria Basin.
Speaking during a technical workshop at the Commission’s headquarters in Kisumu, Executive Secretary Masinde Bwire said the Lake Victoria Basin Water Information System (LVB WIS) marks a turning point in regional cooperation on water, environment and climate management.
“This system belongs to the Partner States and to the people of the Lake Victoria Basin,” Bwire said.
“For the first time, we have one shared digital platform that brings together hydrological, meteorological, environmental and socio-economic data to support joint decision-making.”
The two-day workshop has brought together national and regional experts from the East African Community (EAC) Partner States to install, test and configure the full client-server system.
Developed in collaboration with the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), the platform integrates multi-sectoral data into a single system hosted at the LVBC headquarters.
According to Bwire, once fully operational, the system will enable real-time modelling, forecasting and advanced analytics to strengthen flood preparedness, water allocation, water quality monitoring and long-term investment planning across the basin.
“We are moving from fragmented data systems to a coordinated regional approach,” he said.
“With this platform, we can anticipate floods earlier, plan water allocation more equitably, and respond better to climate variability and environmental risks.”
The workshop includes hands-on technical training to ensure that each Partner State can operate and maintain the system in line with national priorities while contributing to regional cooperation.
Use cases being configured include flood risk management applications in Kenya and Rwanda, as well as basin-wide hydrological forecasting and water quality monitoring.
Bwire described the LVB WIS as a milestone under the Lake Victoria Basin Integrated Water Resources Management Programme.
“This is more than a software installation,” he said. “It is an investment in resilience, transparency and shared prosperity for our region. By strengthening data coordination and evidence-based planning, we are safeguarding the future of the Lake Victoria Basin.”
The programme is financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union through KfW, in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).