Journal Article
Establishment of wildlife management areas (WMA) may have costs and benefits depending on the
underlying arrangements. This study was carried out to assess costs and benefits of establishment of
Ngarambe-Tapika WMA, in Rufiji District, Tanzania. The data were obtained through interviews with key
informants, questionnaire survey and focus group discussions and analyzed by content analysis and benefit-
cost evaluation. The study revealed that cultivation and firewood collection were the major livelihood
activities carried out before establishment of Ngarambe-Tapika WMA and which were not allowed after the
establishment. The benefit-cost ratio is less than 1, implying that that the benefits they were receiving is low
as compared to the costs they were generated before establish of WMA. Most respondents depends on
agriculture activities as a major economic activity and source of income but this activities had been
interfered with wild animals that raid their crops hence increases cost of living of adjacent community. The
incidences of crop damage increase yearly due to increasing number of wildlife as a result of better
conservation afforded by WMA establishment. It is recommended to address problem of resource access
within the WMA. The village governments should set aside special days to allow local communities to
harvest dead trees and/or medicinal plants under the supervision of village government. A long-term solution
is to advocate the establishment of community forests in each village or households to have forest lots
around their farms which could save the multi-purpose role of provision of firewood/timber and also act as
farm boundaries. The responsible authorities should find a way of compensating those who are affected by
wildlife especially when come into issue of crop damage. To minuses some costs of living and increase
benefits it is recommended to improved relationship among investors, local communities and WMA staff, the
need to involve local communities in major decisions affecting their livelihood, improvement of business
contracts, need for investors to follow village rules and regulation, awareness education and empowerment
of local communities should be adhered. Furthermore, the study recommends that efforts should be made to
ensure that income generating from Ngarambe-Tapika WMA trickle down to household and/or individual
level because most who are affected is individuals. And this can be achieved through increased employment
of local community and better pay for the employment in activities related to WMA.