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Tanzania: Conservation is For People

Arusha Times (Arusha)
15 December 2007
Ramadhani Kupaza
Arusha

Given the urgency to alleviate poverty in Tanzania, it is rational to suggest that all institutions and agencies in the country have a moral obligation to provide solutions to solve the problem. To their credit, some institutions have started to do just that independently. But the organizations fall short of making significant impact on the ground.

For example, the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) which is based in Njiro, Arusha now gives a human face to wildlife research. The institute's enhanced interest in the human-wildlife dimensions is reflected in the programme of the 6th TAWIRI Scientific Conference. The Conference is held annually in Arusha.

A session during the 2007 conference programme indicates that eight out of 92 scientific studies about conservation address issues concerning human-wildlife interactions. Two of the eight studies focus on poverty alleviation among communities directly. In particular, one of the studies addresses "Impacts of game (wild animals) on household food security and cash income: a case study of Serengeti District." The other study that addresses community development directly is titled "Spatial (space) -temporal variation in meat and fish consumption among humans: the importance of migratory plant-eating animals in the western Serengeti, Tanzania."

Another conference session addresses human-wildlife related issues under a socio-economics and tourism sub-theme. Findings from eight socio-economic studies were presented during the session. Among the eight studies three address community development concerns directly. The first study is titled "The role of butterflies for improving the socio-economic condition of rural people." The other study concerns "Ecotourism and livelihoods among livestock keepers in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area." Third is "A case study of the costs and benefits of conservation and ecotourism to rural communities in Tanzania."

It means that only seven out of 92 studies presented at the conference (less than 10%) address poverty alleviation directly. Clearly, TAWIRI's direct contribution to poverty alleviation is small if judged by the type of studies presented at the conference.

TAWIRI's direct contribution to community development was even less in the past. Proceedings of the institute's Third Annual Scientific Conference registered only four studies that address community development directly. Community development titles at that conference include "Biological and economic processes in Wildlife farming in Tanzania." Two of the studies address beekeeping and one concerns trade on medicinal plants in Arusha City.

On the other hand, the Second Annual TAWIRI Conference has nothing to show as regards studies to alleviate poverty. Meanwhile, a rare direct community development study featured at the First annual TAWIRI Scientific Conference back in 2000. The study concerns poverty alleviation through beekeeping.

Therefore, it can be deduced that TAWIRI is on track as regards wildlife research for development if judged by the institute's progress in the field between the first and sixth conferences. Now, the institute has started to provide useful information for making informed wildlife-related community development decisions. But that is only part of the poverty alleviation process. The process becomes complete when targeted people benefit significantly from poverty alleviation processes.

It implies that TAWIRI can be instrumental in monitoring impacts of wildlife related poverty alleviation strategies that are commissioned by other agencies for implementation. For example, the institute may consider conducting studies on the Wildlife Division's approach to alleviate poverty through the community-based Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) Programme. TAWIRI can monitor effectiveness of the WMA Guidelines that follow largely a top-down management approach. In this case the Director of the Wildlife Division rather than the respective communities has overriding authority on the management of WMAs. Critiques of the programme lobby to convince government to review the recently signed authoritative Wildlife Management (Non-consumptive use) Regulations, 2007.

It can be stated that the concept of conservation for people is gaining ground in Tanzania despite questionable effectiveness of implementation approaches. TAWIRI and other conservation institutions can take pride in taking the center stage in poverty alleviation programmes. Lest we forget, poverty is the single most important challenge in conservation.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200712171366.html

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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