Improving relationships between local communities and Saadani NP management
Full Solution
joint meeting between community members, Kesho Trust staff and park staff
Bruce Downie
Since the establishment of Saadani National Park, Tanzania, there has been conflict between the park agency and adjacent communities as a consequence of the restrictions imposed and the lack of perceived benefits by the communities. Working through PECC committees in six of the main villages (out of 17) bordering the park, Kesho Trust facilitated a mutual learning process. The committees planned and implemented various activities on conservation awareness raising, relationship building and sharing experiences.
Last update: 02 Oct 2020
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Context
Challenges addressed
The primary issues perceived by villagers include: ongoing dispute over park boundaries; expectations on economic benefits of the park not been fulfilled, particularly on employment; and, restrictions imposed on communities by the park, such as moving around the park after dark. The loss of village land ocurred when the park was created but without appropriate compensation from the perspective of the communities. Similarly there was a loss of access to natural resources, e.g. firewood and building materials.
Location
Saadani, Pwani Region, Tanzania
East and South Africa
Process
Summary of the process
Once the community conservation (PECC) committees were established, various activities were planned and conducted by them together with Kesho Trust. They were also being encouraged to develop own activities. The visit to conservation organizations and institutions provided a deepened understanding of conservation issues and protected area management responsibilities, as a basis for the committees’ further engagement in the project.The meetings with representatives from other communities, and joint meetings with the park agency, helped to build dialogue and gain a better joint understanding of the nature and diversity of issues. The success of the solution was based on all relevant stakeholders (representatives from several villages, park agency staff) coming together for dialogue. Beyond that, it was crucial to raise awareness about the park to other members of the communities, beyond the members of the committees. Specifically planned awareness raising events and cultural activities were important for that. Furthermore PECC committee members set up small discussion groups in their communities with other villagers to share the knowledge they were gaining through the PECC process and the inter-village and TANAPA meetings
Building Blocks
Visit to conservation organizations and agencies
From each of the 6 PECC committees, 2 members were selected and brought to Dar Es Salaam, to visit several conservation organizations, as well as the Wildlife Division as the government institution directly dealing with protected area management (excluding national parks). This trip provided committee members with an overview on how protected areas are managed, and understand the regulations. It allowed them to discuss with key people about their concerns regarding Saadani NP, getting reactions on how these concerns are being addressed through national protected area policy. They also learned about commonalities with other parks, where adjacent communities struggle with similar challenges, and discuss some solutions that have been found elsewhere for addressing such challenges. The visit helped the committee members realize that many regulations are decided at a higher level than that of individual parks. This shifted their view about the ability of Saadani park staff to take action.
Enabling factors
Since this activity was comparatively expensive, adequate available funding was an important enabling factor. An existing interest from the side of the hosting institutions to receive the community representatives and dedicate time and effort to meet with them was also crucial.
Lesson learned
Committee members in Buyuni said that the visit led to a change in their mindsets – they understood that it is important to support conservation, and they came to believe that it is possible to align conservation and community development. Trip participants especially valued the visit to the Wildlife Division under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), over the visits to nature conservation organizations, because it is in this government department that decisions about protected area management (albeit not about national park management, which is the responsibility of a separate agency: TANAPA) are taken. Thus, more time should be spent on this institution during future similar trips. From the perspective of Kesho Trust, it would be good to try and engage more strongly with other organizations involved in community and conservation engagement in Tanzania, next time such a visit is conducted.
Resources
Joint meetings between communities and park agency
Joint meetings between park agency representatives and PECC committee members were held twice per quarter. Each meeting was hosted by a different PECC village. All committee members from that village attended, as well as selected committee members from villages nearby. The staff community outreach officer generally attended representing TANAPA. These meetings provided opportunities to discuss details of issues that the communities face. They helped build relationships, for both sides to better understand each other’s position and find solutions together. As a consequence of these meetings, villagers were engaged in the park’s conservation activities in some instances, such as through receiving training as village rangers.
Enabling factors
There was strong interest from the side of the communities to engage in discussions with park agency to make their issues known, beyond the formal process that is in place involving officials at village council level. TANAPA were ready and open to engage, attending the meetings regularly, based on existing mandate in the agency encouraging community engagement and a facilitator that encourages open dialogue, stays neutral, and values all contributions to the discussion with equal weight.
Lesson learned
The joint meetings helped to clarify TANAPA’s employment procedures, but the communities still question the fact that staff employed in Saadani NP are hired and trained centrally and that education requirements are so strict even for simple jobs. A certain level of education is required for TANAPA employees. The level of education in the Saadani area is low, thus few of the park staff are from the region. The meetings helped improve relationships: communities acknowledge that they no longer view the park staff as enemies, but better understand the constraints under which staff are operating. The meetings were another opportunity to engage with TANAPA, helping to open up relationships and thus also contributing to the success of the official (high level) engagement process. Whether or not specific actions are taken immediately, villagers felt the meetings allowed TANAPA staff to at least consider their ideas, e.g. contracting for maintenance instead of being blocked by hiring policies
Inter-community meetings
Meetings were held between pairs of 2 nearby villages, with a monthly rotating schedule between the 3 pairs of villages, so that the same pair of villages met once every 3 months. These meetings involved the PECC committee members of the hosting village, as well as 3-4 committee members of the visiting villages (for logistical reasons, not all members of the visiting committee attended). The villages that were paired alternated in hosting the meetings. The inter-community meetings allowed for exchanging ideas and sharing experiences about their relationships with the park, including successes and challenges. They served to strengthen relationships between different villages, and helped to understand unique issues in other villages.
Enabling factors
All villages shared a similar perception of the park and a feeling of “being in the same boat”, which made it easy for them to come together and find a common understanding. The communities of the area are all very closely connected through family ties and people have frequently lived in the area for generations. Close connections with adjacent villages are the norm and these connections strengthened the potential to create meaningful dialogue on the concerns over park management.
Lesson learned
PECC committee members said that for the future, it would be good to invite communities from villages that are further away as well, rather than only the ones that are located nearby. Usually, representatives from the hosting village tended to feel in control of the meeting and dominate the discussions. In the future, this could be mitigated by assigning dedicated time slots in the agenda for discussing issues of both villages separately.
Use of artistic tools for raising conservation awareness
Poems, songs and drama about conservation issues were developed by PECC committee members and were performed at community events, particularly the monthly meetings of the village councils. The committees often engaged other people as well, particularly school children, to perform the songs, raising awareness about conservation amongst the youth. The awareness raising tools and events helped to communicate the conservation message to the community in an accessible, effective manner. Experience shows that the community enjoys and responds very well to such events. The events also served the purpose of educating the communities about restrictions in the park, to gain a better understanding on what is permitted, and what is not
Enabling factors
The village councils agreed to give a space to PECC committee members during each council meeting to perform songs etc., or at least to speak about issues of conservation and management of the national park. Low levels of literacy in the villages encourages different forms of engagement with the community members on issues and when conveying information and ideas. People know and appreciate songs, story telling, drama etc., and so are very used to learning through such mechanisms.
Lesson learned
As a result of these events, most villagers adhere better to the park regulations than previously; however, some illegal activities still continue. Committees and other community members appreciated this activity, and would like to receive further support in developing it, e.g. through other communication tools such as videos.
Impacts
Most project communities acknowledge that relationships with the park are much better now than at the beginning of the project. For example, PECC committee members in Buyuni said that the project activities provided them with guidance about conservation, whereas in the past, they didn’t feel involved. Committees developed awareness-raising media on their own, based on their enhanced knowledge. Committee members in Matapwili highlighted the impact of the awareness raising events in particular: people show great interest in the events and they continue to talk about them afterwards. They also mentioned that community members now adhere better to regulations of the park, because they are more aware of these rules, and the need for them. Empowerment developed from direct contact with TANAPA. Committee members appreciated TANAPA participation in meetings. There were other examples of positive changes implemented by the park. In the past, there had been restrictions for people from Mkange for bringing charcoal to Saadani village. Thanks to improved relationships with the park administration, these restrictions were loosened.The park supported the construction of a dispensary in Mkange and trained village rangers in Buyuni.
Beneficiaries
There are 17 communities adjacent to Saadani National Park. The PECC program has the six villages with the most significant impact participating in the project along with the Park agency (TANAPA)
Story
Matatu Mngumi Shehe is 39 and has lived in Mkwaja all her life. She is married with five children, two boys and three girls. Her coastal village is located at the northern end of Saadani National Park and contains around 215 households. Most people earn at least part of their livelihood through fishing but Shehe owns her own small business cooking and selling food. Shehe is the Chair of the PECC committee in Mkwaja and is keen to be involved in the project in order to help resolve some of the day to day problems that people face in living so close to a national park. As she told Peter Millanga [Kesho Trust project Coordinator], “From the time I was approached to be part of PECC I got so much interested after learning that we are getting a place to talk about the problems we face.” An example for her of those problems was that one of her nephews was in trouble because he was caught fishing in an area near to Buyuni village which is part of the marine component of the Park. He was taken to court in Pangani and as a result had to pay a 50,000 Tanzanian Shilling (US$ 31) fine – a rather significant sum by Mkwaja standards given that a small business owner in Mkwaja might make about 90,000 TShilling per month. This is an on-going issue for villages like Mkwaja that rely on fishing. The Park boundaries in the ocean are not marked. Although people try to avoid straying into the Park, the tides, currents and winds can make it difficult for fishermen to avoid drifting into protected portions of sea. If they are caught, they face having their equipment confiscated or, like Shehe’s nephew, end up in court. Despite the challenges, Shehe is optimistic that situations like this can be avoided in the future. Working through the PECC committee Shehe, alongside nine other members, hopes to be able to reduce the tension that exists between the village and the National Park. Through better awareness of the Park and the benefits that can be gained from protecting their environment, Shehe hopes that the relationship will improve.
