Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Districts
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Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Districts By Emmanuel Sule For Knowledge HAKIKAZI CATALYST Action Change Research Project December 2008 Page: 1 Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Table of Contents Acknowledgements _____________________________________________________________ iii Abbreviations and Acronyms _____________________________________________________ iv Executive Summary _____________________________________________________________v 1. INTRODUCTION _____________________________________________________________1 2. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AREAS IN TANZANIA __________________________________3 Earnings from National Parks, NCA, and Hunting Blocks ______________________________3 Game Controlled Areas (GCAs) __________________________________________________3 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) _____________________________________________4 Tanzania Wildlife Protection Fund ________________________________________________4 3. REVIEW OF OVERALL ISSUES __________________________________________________5 Lack of Transparency in the Distribution of Centrally Collected Revenues ________________5 Lack of Transparency and Participation in the Allocation of Hunting Concessions and Quotas ___ 6 Communities’ Lack of Control ___________________________________________________7 Confusion over the Administration of GCAs ________________________________________8 Ineffective Regulation of the Hunting Sector _______________________________________8 New Regulations Threaten Wildlife Management Areas and Conservation _______________9 Animosity towards NGOS and CSOs ______________________________________________9 Resident Hunting v. Tourist Hunting ______________________________________________9 4. TOURISM REVENUE TRANSPARENCY IN SIMANJIRO AND LONGIDO DISTRICTS ______ 11 Simanjiro District __________________________________________________________ 11 Level of Transparency at District level ____________________________________________11 Revenue and Expenditure Reports are not Publically Posted _________________________12 Role and Capacity of Councilors ________________________________________________12 Revenue from Resident Hunting ________________________________________________12 Consequence of Low Returns from Wildlife Tourism in Communities ___________________12 Consequences of Arbitrary Hunting Quota Allocation ______________________________13 Emboret Village – Simanjiro District ____________________________________________ 13 Tourism Revenue and Transparency at Emboret ___________________________________13 Does Emboret really benefit from the hunting tourism business? _____________________14 Page: i Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Revenue collected from the photographic companies in Emboret ____________________16 Longido District ___________________________________________________________ 16 Level of transparency at the District level ________________________________________ 17 Enduiment WMA ___________________________________________________________ 17 Olmolog: Which is better, the WMA or individual village contracts? ___________________ 18 Illustration: Confusion surrounding tourist revenues _______________________________ 19 Source: Ngorongoro District annual financial reports ________________________________ 19 Illustration: Poor participation of the local communities ____________________________ 19 Some Better News __________________________________________________________ 20 5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ______________________________________ 21 References ________________________________________________________________ 24 ANNEXES _________________________________________________________________ 26 TAARIFA YA MAPATO NA MATUMIZI (MGAWANYO) WA FEDHA ZINAZOTUMWA TOKA WIZARA YA MALIASILI NA UTALII KAMA MGAWO WA WILAYA KUTOKANA NA FEDHA ZA UWINDAJI KWA MWAKA 2006/07 _______________________________________________________ 26 MGAWANYO WA FEDHA ZILIZOTUMWA KATIKA HALMASHAURI TOKA WIZARA YA MALIASILI UTALII KAMA MAGAWO WA FEDHA ZA UWINDAJI KATIKA KATA KWA MWAKA 2004/05 ___ 27 MGAWANYO WA FEDHA ZILIZOTUMWA KATIKA HALMASHAURI YA WILAYA YA MONDULI TOKA WIZARA YA MALIASILI UTALII KAMA MAGAWO WA FEDHA ZA UWINDAJI KATIKA KATA KWA MWAKA 2003 __________________________________________________________ 28 SIMANJIRO DISTRICT BUDGET FOR HUNTING RECEIPT USAGE 2006/07 ____________ 29 Page: ii Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Acknowledgements This research report was commissioned by HAKIKAZI CATALYST. Andrew Williams, in his capacity as the TNRF Coordinator, introduced the research project to me and shared various issues with me during the course of the work. Caroline Chumo has been a great help to me during the process of writing this paper. Her advanced computer skills and thorough readings of this paper have enabled me to produce it. This work would have not been possible without the sincere help extended to me by Cyril Miontini. Being in a single house we shared light moments and constructive discussions concerning the work. Also, at the beginning of this research, I had a fruitful discussion with Fred Nelson, a famous writer on tourism/wildlife issues in Tanzania. Thanks are due to staff members at the TNRF office for their sincere support in different ways; Enock Chengulah read my first draft, Daniel, Nai, Lodrick and Sandra provided joyful moments, ideas and sometimes shared computers. Lastly I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the District staff I met in Simanjiro, Longido, Monduli and Ngorongoro for their kind support, information and data sharing. I also thank the District Executive Directors of all Districts for their permission to do this study. Page: iii Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Abbreviations and Acronyms AA - Authorized Association CBO - Community-based Organization DC - District Commissioner DED - District Executive Director DGO - District Game Officer DPG - Tanzania Development Partner Groups DNRO - District Natural Resources Officer GCA - Game Controlled Areas GTZ - German Development Agency MDG - Millennium Development Goals MNRT - Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism NCA - Ngorongoro Conservation Area OBC - Ortello Business Corporation TANAPA - Tanzania National Parks TAWIRI - Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute Tshs/TZS - Tanzanian Shillings TTB - Tanzania Tourist Board TIC - Tanzania Investment Centre. URT - United Republic of Tanzania WD - Wildlife Division WMA - Wildlife Management Areas WPT - Wildlife Policy of Tanzania Page: iv Wildlife-Based Revenue Transparency Performance in Longido and Simanjiro Executive Summary Wildlife-based tourism revenue is the broad term used to describe income generated from both photographic and hunting tourism. All these are the forms of tourism that take place in different areas such as village land, general land, open land, Game Controlled Areas, Game Reserves and Protected Areas. Photographic tourism takes place mostly in National Parks and Game Reserves. In recent years, especially in northern tourist-circuit, many tour operators have set up operations in villages bordering National parks, Game Reserves or protected areas. Tanzania offers a unique product to the world’s growing tourism sector. This potential has led to a situation where control over natural resources and ownership of land remain the most prominent socioeconomic and political issue in rural areas throughout the nation. If properly managed, revenue from the tourism sector could do much to improve livelihoods in rural areas where most tourism attractions are found. However, most local communities receive little benefit from the presence of wildlife tourists on their lands. There are many reasons for this, including: ❍ Lack of clarity surrounding the collection of hunting fees by Central Government and the return of a percentage of these funds to Districts and communities containing hunting areas. ❍ Lack of transparency in hunting block allocation and in the setting of hunting quotas. ❍ Ineffective regulation of the hunting industry is facilitated by under resourced and possibly corrupt government officials at both local and national levels. ❍ Limited community involvement in all aspects of the decision making process regarding the allocation of blocks, quota setting, negotiations with operators and monitoring of operator activities. ❍ Conflicting laws concerning the administration of lands, tourism, investment and wildlife. ❍ Limited transparency regarding revenue and expenditure reports at District and village level. In the Districts and villages of the research area, the benefits gained from wildlife tourism are limited in general. Public representatives and citizens are under informed on all issues: national and local regulations, the operations of the Wildlife Division, revenue calculation and revenue expenditure. Corruption seems to be widespread. Revenue transparency is generally very poor at the national, District and village levels. Photographic tour operators contribute more to communities than hunting operators, who, with a few exceptions, either contribute nothing beyond their Government fees or give small intermittent contributions to communities or the Districts. However, new regulations now require photographic companies to make their usage payments direct to Central Government. This regulation is likely to