The Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) has distributed 12.17bn/- to beneficiaries of tourism activities across the country during the 2025/2026 financial year. The funds were given to district councils, Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), and villages. This move is part of the government's mechanism to ensure that communities benefit from tourism and wildlife conservation activities in their areas.
Recently, TAWA distributed 2.47bn/- to district councils, WMAs, and villages as part of the July 2026 benefit-sharing arrangement. The Acting Conservation Commissioner, Mr Mlage Kabange, made the announcement in Morogoro. He stated that delays had been experienced in returning funds to beneficiaries from some tourism activities during the 2025/2026 financial year. However, the government has addressed the challenge through amendments to Section 137 of the Finance Act, 2025.
The amendments to Section 137 of the Finance Act, 2025, provide for benefits accruing from all tourism activities to be returned to beneficiaries. Mr Kabange said that the beneficiaries receiving these funds demonstrate the benefits derived from conservation activities. The benefit-sharing arrangement aims to strengthen community participation in the conservation and protection of wildlife resources.
The approach also encourages communities to set aside village land for conservation activities, reducing human-wildlife conflicts, and promoting economic activities in local communities. Mr Kabange stated that the government would continue working with communities to strengthen the protection of conservation areas and improve the control of dangerous and destructive wildlife.
To enhance wildlife control operations, the government has provided TAWA with 661 new conservation rangers and budgetary funds to purchase equipment. Additionally, 187 village game scouts have been facilitated to participate in controlling dangerous and destructive wildlife. TAWA has also received 20 drones through the Tanzania Wildlife Protection Fund (TWPF) and two drones from Bushman Safari Trackers Limited.
TAWA has purchased five more drones through its budget, bringing the total number of drones available for wildlife control operations to 27. Deputy Conservation Commissioner, Maarufu Kombo, provided a breakdown of the 2.47bn/- distributed during the latest exercise, which comprised 1.7bn/- for 11 wildlife conservation community organisations, 354.9m/- for 18 villages, and 379.2m/- for 21 district councils.
Chairman of the Mbomipa Community Conservation Association in Iringa District, Mr Jonas Mkusa, commended the government for amending the law and assigning TAWA the responsibility of returning the funds to communities. He stated that the changes had enabled communities to receive the funds on time, improving their capacity to implement their operational activities.
Key points
- TAWA distributed 12.17bn/- to beneficiaries of tourism activities across Tanzania during the 2025/2026 financial year.
- The government amended Section 137 of the Finance Act, 2025, to ensure benefits from all tourism activities are returned to beneficiaries.
- TAWA has 27 drones available for wildlife control operations, having received donations and purchased additional equipment.
