Game reserve neighbours get shot in the arm

2007-05-13 09:40:46
By Friday Simbaya, PST, Iringa


The Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) has disbursed a total of 1.2bn/- towards the implementation of community projects in Ruaha, Mikumi, Kitulo and Udzungwa Game Reserves through the Support for Community Initiated Projects (SCIP), during the financial year 2006/07.

The SCIP programme has supported projects in health, education, water and agricultural sectors for communities living near the game reserves.

The ultimate aim is to raise their standard of living.
According to Outreach Program Manager-TANAPA, Anna Grace Kyoma, SCIP is a collaborative management and partnership between community and national park authority in terms of wildlife and natural resource conservation.

She said the programme took off in 1988 in Serengeti-Ngorongoro (Lolindo) as pilot areas before spreading to other game reserves as well as national parks in the southern highland zone.

Kyoma said the national parks include Ruaha, Mikumi, Kitulo and Udzungwa mountains.

The district councils working in collaboration with the programme are in Kilosa, Mvomero, Morogoro,, Kilombero, Kilolo, Makete, Mbeya, Rungwe,,Iringa, Dodoma , Mbarali and Chunya districts.

Kyoma said the programme was on a sound footing, citing development projects in health, water, education and agricultural sectors as some of the success stories.

Others were construction of classrooms, health centres , dams, staff quarters and a police post.

She said the project has also improved the living standard of people in the buffer zones of the game reserves.

Meanwhile, the Acting Chief Park Warden, Godwell Elias Ole Meing?ataki of Ruaha National Park, said the SCIP programme has increased awareness and built capacity of communities bordering the parks on the importance of wildlife and natural resources protection.

He said programme had also brought about collaborative management of wildlife and thus a reduction in poaching .

Meing`ataki made the remarks last Wednesday, during a one day stakeholders` meeting for communities living in buffer zones held Iringa.

SOURCE: Sunday Observer