Context
Around a third of the area of Tanzania is made up of protected areas that preserve important ecosystems and large populations of wild animals. These areas also make the country more resilient to climate change and are important for Tanzania’s economic development.
Nevertheless, the number of conflicts between people and wild animals is rising, as the growing population needs more land and other natural resources. Extreme weather events such as droughts are intensifying this competition. Damage caused by wild animals is becoming more frequent, particularly around protected areas and wildlife corridors.
Retaliation against wildlife threatens species conservation. Local people do not benefit sufficiently from the use of natural resources for tourism and are too rarely involved in decision-making in respect of the protected areas. Consequently, they often perceive biodiversity as a restriction.
Objective
The Tanzanian Government implements the national strategy for dealing with human-wildlife conflicts holistically.
Approach
The project is aimed at the rural population south of the Nyerere National Park and the Selous Game Reserve in the Ruvuma landscape. It advises the authorities in four fields of action:
1. Wildlife Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism: It contributes to the improvement of coordination and long-term financing of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) solutions.
2. Early warning systems: It promotes monitoring of wildlife movements for a faster response to HWC, e.g. via well located ranger posts.
3. Supporting local communities: It is helping to reduce negative effects by promoting participatory land use planning as well as village savings and loan associations.
4. Raising awareness: It is developing the capacities of government institutions by advising on educational outreach initiatives. It is also raising awareness of the topic through school environmental clubs and training for journalists.