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Mbomipa Project Idodi and Pawaga Divisions Iringa Region, Tanzania and Selous Conservation Program Songea and Morogoro Districts Ruvuma and Morogoro Regions, Tanzania - Appendix 1

Mbomipa Project Idodi and Pawaga Divisions Iringa Region, Tanzania and Selous Conservation Program Songea and Morogoro Districts Ruvuma and Morogoro Regions, Tanzania - Appendix 1

Author(s): EPIQ

Publication Date: 2000

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KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Africa. Africa, Tanzania, business management, ecotourism, income generation, market value, hunting, protected areas, wildlife, co-management, institutions, property rights, training, community based natural resource management, case study, evaluation. SUMMARY: Both the Mbomipa Project and the Selous Conservation Program (SCP) involve community management and sustainable use of wildlife resources in and around game reserves, and have won widespread acclaim for their management of natural resources. This report cautions against calling Mbomipa and SCP successes as they continue to evolve, but recognizes that they represent positive efforts at devolving proprietorship of wildlife to communities and linking wildlife conservation benefits for these communities. The report lists the constraints and opportunities to effective community based conservation under five main headings: Institutional: Community institutions have evolved into effective organizations, motivated by ownership of valuable resources. However, the tenurial framework for integrated common property regimes does not yet exist and current wildlife legislation does not support the devolution of community wildlife management areas (WMAs). There is also confusion between the different sectors of statutory governance over the jurisdiction of resource access as there is a lack of clear rights and responsibilities at all levels (village, ward, district, and national). Human Resources: Villagers lack the capacity to negotiate with the private sector over their operations in the WMAs, and require assistance to develop negotiation skills, and the ability to develop leases and joint agreements. Political: The transaction costs of managing community property are recognized as very high, as the government continues to practice top down planning and implementation approaches. In addition, there is a multiplicity of strategic planning frameworks addressing the same issue due to uncoordinated donor activities and priorities. Economic: There are very limited benefits from WMAs to affected communities, and the process of allocating market values to wildlife has led to distorted values for the resource base. The report calls for fuller economic analyses of the different non-consumptive resource options to determine appropriate market values and to reduce distortions in pricing signals. Environment: Encroachment of wildlife into agricultural areas is a major issue. A simple monitoring system to measure changes in illegal wildlife activity, animal abundance and rangeland condition is suggested as a potential solution to managing this problem.

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