Changes of Foreign Policy and Development Support towards Public Assets Management in Tanzania: Is this the Answer for Forest and Wildlife Improvement?

Abstract

Tanzania has changed its foreign policy. The changes are aiming to increase development support in key sectors of strategic significance to the economy particularly forest and wildlife management. From colonial to post-colonial eras, development partners support forest and wildlife conservation. However, the support has failed to improve forest and wildlife management, due to failure of not being able to address livelihood and vulnerability issues such as improved human health, employment opportunities, prices, demography and technology of the people residing around the forest and wildlife reserves. Eventually, there is a continuance of deforestation and poaching activities. Thus, paper suggests future changes of foreign policy should aim at harmonising key policies of strategic significance to the economy. The harmonisation would help to establish a common policy agenda for Tanzania in forest and wildlife management globally.  Harmonisation could increase and ensure the right form of development support is acquired for improving both condition of forest and wildlife reserves as well as livelihood outcomes of local population. Most importantly, paper suggests that livelihood analysis should be conducted prior to the provision of development support. Development support as it now stands, only serves to aid in improving condition of forest and wildlife reserves, and made the local population vulnerable to poverty.

Keywords: Foreign Policy, Development Support, Forest and Wildlife Management, Livelihood, Tanzania

DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/81-06

Publication date:April 30^th 2020