Serengeti General Management Plan

E. Community Outreach Programme
Figure E.2: Support to Community Initiated Projects (SCIP), 1992 – 2004
US$ x 1000
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
92/93
93/94
94/95
95/96
96/97
97/98
98/99
Year
99/00
00/01
01/02
02/03
03/04
Action 1.2.1: Implement priority community-initiated projects as identified in planning
In order that benefits from SENAPA are clearly understood by communities, it is important to
ensure that all SCIP projects (identified under Action 1.1.4) are officially handed over to
communities and that the responsibilities for project implementation is clearly defined and
agreed. Linkage with conservation will be clearly emphasised and signboards and appropriate
events will be hosted to improve SENAPA’s public relations.
Action 1.2.2: Provide support for conservation-friendly, income generating activities
Improving economic status is a high priority for all local communities in this relatively undeveloped
part of Tanzania. With little access to agencies that can support development and
the diversification of income-generating activities, communities look to SENAPA for help in
this area. From research carried out in the Serengeti, it is thought that it is the most impoverished
individuals in local societies that are driven to poach bushmeat to meet their basic protein
and cash needs. Therefore there is evidence that if SENAPA can improve communities’
economic status, it will lead to a decrease in illegal hunting.
Income diversification can take a myriad of forms and thus a number of activities have been
drawn up to realise this management action. One clear area to be covered is exploring the
potential of improving liaison between producers and consumers of local produce and foodstuffs.
Tourist facilities in SENAPA still regularly import the majority of their fresh produce
from outside local districts. Ways of encouraging local producers to provide the right type of
fresh produce in the right quality and quantity will therefore be sought. Already, to the west of
the Park, a group has been assisted in providing produce, under contract, to some lodges
and this scheme will be developed during this GMP.
Similarly local handicrafts also have the potential to be sold locally, nationally and internationally,
but there is a huge gap between producers and consumers in the knowledge of the
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