Assessing Drivers Influencing Livestock Grazing in Ruaha National Park.

Kessi, Bosco Atanasio (2020) Assessing Drivers Influencing Livestock Grazing in Ruaha National Park. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Livestock grazing is among the major conservation challenges in Ruaha National park. Despite different efforts deployed by RUNAPA like boots on the ground and guns, the still problem persists. Then; the study aimed at finding out and assesses what drive herders to risk their lives and bring their livestock into a heavily guarded national park. The study has the potential to orient conservation policy and practices to the root causes of the problem and thus increasing the chance of finding lasting solutions. The study employed quantitative cross-sectional descriptive designs and multi stage sampling techniques. Ninety (90) respondents from ten (10) villages were interviewed. Data from the questionnaires was processed and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics were performed to generate frequency distribution tables and pie charts. Findings indicated that herders enter and graze into the park due to inadequate land for grazing (65%), water (25%) and good pastures (10%). Study also revealed that 60% of the respondents are aware of park rules, regulations and values, whereas 40% are not. The study concluded that communities enter and graze inside RUNAPA because of scarcity of grazing land contributed by high population of livestock, inadequate community awareness and involvement in decisions; and the existence of traditions/myth that encourage grazing in the wetland. The study recommends intensification of law enforcement, intervention that focuses on changing communities’ attitudes and awareness towards conservation, design supportive program/projects that improves productivity from crop farming and livestock keeping and create a mechanism that incentivize people to convert livestock into alternative forms of capital with less environmental impact. Keywords: Illegal Grazing, Community, National Park, RUNAPA.

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