Wildlife resource utilisation and rural livelihoods in mukungule game management area, Mpika, Zambia
Date
2016
Authors
Sakala, Maria
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zambia
Abstract
Wildlife utilisation for livelihoods frequently conflicts with conservation, raising
challenges of integrating rural livelihood issues into conservation agendas.
However, the reality of wildlife utilisation in rural areas, especially Game
Management Areas cannot be stated simply; it is a multifaceted problem linked to
poverty, infrastructure underdevelopment, people’s traditions and perceptions, and
sometimes the political atmosphere exemplified in government’s formulation and
implementation of GMA policy.
This study aimed at investigating how wildlife utilisation and rural livelihood
activities affect conservation. The objectives of the study included the identification
of the drivers of wildlife utilisation in Mukungule Game Management Area in
northern Zambia; exploring the effects of rural livelihoods activities on wildlife
conservation; and assessing the impacts of wildlife management policy on rural
livelihoods. As such, the questions driving this study were: What are the drivers of
bush meat utilisation? How can rural livelihood activities affect wildlife
conservation? How do wildlife management policies affect access to livelihood
resources for rural communities? Semi-structured and structured interviews were
conducted throughout Mukungule Game Management Area to generally explore the
links between wildlife conservation and rural livelihoods.
Drivers of bush meat utilisation that were identified included income, protein needs,
culture, human-wildlife conflict, lack of knowledge and poor governance. The
activities that affected wildlife conservation in Mukungule Game Management Area
were activities that mostly utilised natural resources, such as poaching, bush
burning, charcoal production and chitemene system of farming. When the impacts of
wildlife management policies on rural livelihoods were assessed, it was noted that
the impact was related to problems about the equitable sharing of benefits of wildlife
conservation.
The study also showed that conservation programmes often do not compromise local
livelihoods and most people can usually access required livelihood resources.
However, even if Mukungule Game Management Area residents are aware of
practices which are detrimental to wildlife conservation (such as illegal hunting and
bush burning), wildlife utilisation becomes an alternative livelihood activity when
primary livelihood activities fail. Eventually, their ‘traditional’ activities like
hunting conflict with conservation goals. The study concludes that persistent low
diversity in livelihood options intensifies utilisation of wildlife resources,
highlighting the vulnerability of rural households as well as the need for viable
alternatives in times when primary livelihoods are under stress. It was also noted
that rural livelihoods are connected to poverty and development and the political
structures in rural areas.
Finally, the study recommends the need to develop localised conservation
programmes because it helps people to identify with conservation efforts, thereby
reducing negative responses to conservation. Therefore, this study is significant
because it contributes to a better understanding of wildlife utilisation by rural
communities and the value they place on conservation of wildlife. The study is also
important because it can help the government in reviewing game management
policies to enhance wildlife conservation, and can help non-governmental
conservation organisations to formulate programmes aimed at reducing people’s
reliance on unsustainable harvesting of wildlife resources.
Description
MSC Natural Sciences
Keywords
Wildlife management--Zambia , National parks and reserves--Public use--Zambia , National parks and resreves--Zambia--Management , Mukungule Game Management Area--Zambia