Costs and benefits of establishment of ngarambe-tapika wildlife Management area to livelihoods of adjacent community

Journal Article

Establishment of wildlife management areas (WMA) may have costs and benefits depending on the underlying arrangements. This study was carried out to assess costs and benefits of establishment of Ngarambe-Tapika WMA, in Rufiji District, Tanzania. The data were obtained through interviews with key informants, questionnaire survey and focus group discussions and analyzed by content analysis and benefit- cost evaluation. The study revealed that cultivation and firewood collection were the major livelihood activities carried out before establishment of Ngarambe-Tapika WMA and which were not allowed after the establishment. The benefit-cost ratio is less than 1, implying that that the benefits they were receiving is low as compared to the costs they were generated before establish of WMA. Most respondents depends on agriculture activities as a major economic activity and source of income but this activities had been interfered with wild animals that raid their crops hence increases cost of living of adjacent community. The incidences of crop damage increase yearly due to increasing number of wildlife as a result of better conservation afforded by WMA establishment. It is recommended to address problem of resource access within the WMA. The village governments should set aside special days to allow local communities to harvest dead trees and/or medicinal plants under the supervision of village government. A long-term solution is to advocate the establishment of community forests in each village or households to have forest lots around their farms which could save the multi-purpose role of provision of firewood/timber and also act as farm boundaries. The responsible authorities should find a way of compensating those who are affected by wildlife especially when come into issue of crop damage. To minuses some costs of living and increase benefits it is recommended to improved relationship among investors, local communities and WMA staff, the need to involve local communities in major decisions affecting their livelihood, improvement of business contracts, need for investors to follow village rules and regulation, awareness education and empowerment of local communities should be adhered. Furthermore, the study recommends that efforts should be made to ensure that income generating from Ngarambe-Tapika WMA trickle down to household and/or individual level because most who are affected is individuals. And this can be achieved through increased employment of local community and better pay for the employment in activities related to WMA.