Short-term needs trump conservation in household livelihood decision-making around Saadani National Park, Tanzania

Abstract

This research explores the influence of attitudes towards conservation affecting livelihood decision-making of households in rural Tanzania through a case study of three villages adjacent to Saadani National Park. Key informant interviews, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews revealed that attitudes towards conservation were not a direct influence on livelihood decisions. Instead, people felt powerless over forces that have reduced resource productivity and undermined their ability to maintain the level of benefits from their livelihood activities. Changing environmental conditions, harmful harvesting practices, restricted access to land and impacts of other resource users were reported as the major reasons for the natural resource-based livelihood challenges that residents face. Household respondents reported the need to adapt livelihood practices to boost or restore that productivity and compensate for diminished resource access. Short-term need drives decision-making where people are vulnerable to change, not long-term considerations of resource integrity. The main barriers that impede the influence of positive conservation attitudes are low resource productivity, small-scale economies and entrenched cultural traditions.