New wildlife concessions to add 40bn/- in revenues

05Jan 2024
Henry Mwangonde
DAR ES SALAAM
News
The Guardian
New wildlife concessions to add 40bn/- in revenues

THE Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) yesterday signed seven strategic investment contracts billed at $278m (696bn/-) with five prospective investors for special wildlife investment concession areas (SWICA), a new business model for sustainable utilisation of wildlife resources and -

Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority conservation commissioner Mabula Nyanda (R) and Magellan General Trading LLC director Ahmed Warsama pictured in Dar es Salaam yesterday signing special wildlife investment concession agreements in respect of the Mkungunero Game Reserve. The reserve, a natural corridor for wildlife migrating from Tarangire National Park into neighbouring reserves, straddles three administrative districts: Kondoa, Kiteto and Simanjiro. Photo: Correspondent Happy Shayo

 raising revenues.

SWICA is a model that allows investors to provide trophy hunting and photographic tourism services within one concession area, targeting high end customers who prefer exclusive and luxurious service.

Mabula Misungwi, the TAWA conservation commissioner, at a briefing that the government is expecting to generate upwards of $314m during the 20 years of investments, which boils down to $16m per year (40bn/-), a far cry from the trophy hunting business model, which was generating just above a tenth of those estimates annually.

The SWICA business model is a viable option toward attaining optimal and sustainable utilisation of wildlife resources, he said, noting that the procurement process for investors was conducted in line with the relevant provisions set out in SWICA regulations of 2021.

The regulations provide for solicited and unsolicited applications plus assessment procedures where solicited application procedures provide that the special concession areas are designated, advertised to solicit applications in a competitive manner, he stated.

He listed awarded investors as Bushman Safari Trackers Ltd that will operate Maswa Game Reserve to the north, Mkwawa Hunting Safaris Ltd billed for the Selous Game Reserve lot 1, Grumeti Reserves Ltd set for Grumeti Game Reserve and Ikorongo Game Reserve).

Mwiba Holdings Ltd set up Maswa Game Reserve at Mbono and Kimali lots, while Magellan General Trading has been handed the Mkungunero Game Reserve area.

TAWA is ready to ensure smooth implementation of all SWICA projects in the respective areas in collaboration with the concession winning firms, based on the monitoring and evaluation manual used as a tool to inform TAWA on the progress of SWICA projects, he emphasised.

Angellah Kairuki, the Natural Resources and Tourism minister, said that among other benefits in conservation and research, the investment drive is going to benefit local communities in the vicinity of those areas as an estimated $50m (125bn/-) will be used to finance community development projects during the 20 years of investment.

Tanzania used to hear of trophy hunting and photographic tourism for a long time but now SWICA is being added as a business model and revenue strategy, she said, intimating that this is a great innovation in the quest to diversify tourism products and services.

Domestic and international stakeholders need to invest in the sector as there is a good number of attractive investment areas for would-be investors, she added.

 

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