Enhancing Local Governance in Northern Tanzania

Makame Wildlife Management Area (WMA), in northern Tanzania comprises 3,643 km2 of village land. The area retains significant wildlife populations including a small population of lions. The area has been gazetted as a WMA but currently lacks significant support for the management of this important community conservation area. The LRF has provided a grant to Honey Guide to help them: improve law enforcement and protection in the area; to build the capacity of communities to manage the WMA; and, to build the governance capacity of the WMA. The idea is to build capacity of the community governance and management of the area such that it can become self-sustaining in future (which is a distinct possibility due to the potential to derive revenue through the sale of carbon credits). In late 2019, a second grant of $10,000 was provided to Honey Guide to cover a shortfall in salaries for village game scouts. In 2021 a follow up grant of $80,000 was provided to enable Honey Guide to extend their support for Makame WMA as they work towards achieving self-sufficiency.