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Tanzania: New Push to Spur Wildlife Investment

8 NOVEMBER 2021
Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
By Edward Qorro in Arusha


The Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) has lined up 12 concession areas for special wildlife investment.

This is part of the autonomous public institution's efforts of rolling out the Special Wildlife Investment Concession Areas (SWICA) business model.

TAWA's Senior Assistant Commissioner in charge of Business Services, Said Habibu Bilibili said the conservation agency had allocated 200square kilometers for high-end customers through strategic investors.

"The new business model will provide wider options to clients with regard to consumptive activities," explained the conservator here midweek.



Any investor who takes up the concession areas must practice innovative tourism investments and diversification and will be granted longer concession leases with appropriate exit clauses for underperformance, according to Mr Bilibili.

"Such a model has been put in place for not only improving conservation, but for micro and macro-economic growth," he said.

The TAWA official further pointed out that the business model seeks to address conservation, tourism development and communities' welfare.

According to TAWA, any investor wishing to take up the concession areas must have a proven high capability to support public efforts in conservation of wildlife resources, and must be committed to provide security for the performance of the contract.

Some of the concession areas that are up for grabs include the Grumeti Game reserve, Maswa Mbono, Mkungunero and Selous MT2 Game reserve.

Others are Lake Natron Game reserve, Rungwa-Inyonga and Ikorongo Game reserve.

The government had in August this year, handed over a certificate to Bushman Hunting Safaris Limited to invest in SWICA.

Two foreign companies are currently finalizing plans of being allocated with concession areas, according to TAWA Conservation Commissioner Mabula Misungwi.

In a bid to catalyze investments and enhance local content in wildlife conservation in Tanzania, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism issued new SWICA through Government Notice Number 397 of 2021.

The new Regulations empower the Minister to designate areas of land within game reserves and game-controlled areas to be special wildlife investment concession areas upon recommendation of the Board.

200 square kilos is a postage stamp in the scheme of things.

and I am sure there are bribes to be paid at every turn.