Are farmers in the Uluguru mountains poor because of conservation? A case of conservation costs to rural communities in

Abstract

This paper describes the problem facing human livelihoods near forest reserves in Uluguru Mountains due to their conflicts with wildlife. A total of 166 household heads in four villages and 96 pupils in two primary schools were interviewed. Eighty nine percent of the respondents reported crop damage by wildlife from the forests as the most serious problem. The estimated loss of yield due to crop raiding by wildlife amounted to 41.1%, 24.6%, 22.4%, 22.1% and 12.5% of the harvest of maize, pineapple, bananas, millets and vegetables respectively. Farmers are using traditional means to overcome the problem, which include guarding their farms during the day and night, setting traps as well as lighting fires around their farms. On the other hand, agricultural expansion due to population growth threatens wildlife in the forests of Uluguru Mountains. The conflicts of land use in the mountains are complex and require government and other actors to intervene. Suggested interventions include introduction of non-lethal techniques of wildlife control like use of dogs and wire-gauze, improved storage facilities and control of human population increase agricultural expansion.