Wildlife Farming Business

Poaching and deforestation are the main problems that loosing natural habitats hence causing destruction of Miombo woodland ecosystem. The key contributing factors are  human population growth about 3.1% per annum, poverty, urbanization and expansion of agricultural land.

Lack of awareness rising to promote alternative economic activities other than cultivation of agricultural crops, poaching, timbering and wood charcoal has led to lost of an estimated natural forest area of 483,859 ha per year (URT, 2017) and wildlife animals in Tanzania.

The solution for reducing Poaching and deforestation is to promote wildlife farming business as an income generating activity which is scalable economic opportunities to community.

The solution will impact positively the lives of 1,376,891 (Male 668,684 and Female 708,207) targeted people by ensuring protection and restoration of natural forests from deforestation to preserve biodiversity which will aid in the food supply, carbon-sequestering process, providing new economic opportunities, and guarding against erosion.

Poaching and deforestation are the problems resulting into destruction of Miombo woodland ecosystem in Songea district. Between 1990 and 2010 the total loss of woodlands in Tanzania was estimated to be 19.4% (about 8,067,000 ha) of the forest cover while  Ruvuma region were responsible for 61% of all tree cover loss between 2001 and 2020 and Songea lost 76.1kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 8.2% decrease in tree cover from 2001 to 2020.  Between 2001 and 2020, an average of 1.54Mt greenhouse gas per year was released into the atmosphere as a result of tree cover loss in Songea district affecting 173,821people annually in district we are working with.

As per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), “Between 2015 and 2020, the rate of deforestation was estimated at 10 million hectares per year while forest worldwide has decreased by over 80 million hectares since 1990.

Poaching and Deforestation in Tanzania is contributed by several factors such as human population growth about 3.1% per annum, poverty at $570 below the basic needs poverty line, urbanization about 29.6%, trade and expansion of agricultural lands which contributes to 48% of deforestation.

The solution for poaching and deforestation is Wildlife farming. This business involves traditional farming of wild animal species with integration of conserving natural forests for production of game meat, mushrooms, forest fruits, bird eggs, honey, tree poles and medicinal plants as an alternative economic activity to boost incomes, protein supply and improvement of natural forest conservation.

This project provides alternative means of living to people and, therefore, reduce pressure on woodland forests as a result Miombo woodland ecosystem will be restored and provide food and cover for a diverse range of wildlife, including antelopes, warthogs and baboons. The project will integrate wildlife farming with natural forest conservation by focusing on;

• Sensitizing small scale farmers to establish and manage wildlife farms for generating income and food supply from surplus animals as hence the lost ecosystems be restored
• Awareness rising to community on restoring natural forests by reforestation practices and how to protect restored natural habitats and
• Teaching farmers how to use the preserve natural resources in a way that does not require frequent destruction of habitats. 

The project will use Wildlife captivity techniques, camera trapping technology and natural forest reforestation technology.

The primary target population served by our business is 173,821 (Male 86,548, Female 87,273). They comprise Young and adult men and women who live in Songea district. Young and adult men are very important because involved in hunting and poaching activities in wildlife habitats located outside the protected areas where legal protection status is inadequate or lacking. Also women involved in harvesting of mushrooms, forest fruits, bird eggs, honey, tree poles, medicinal plants, wood charcoal and clearing natural trees for agricultural land especially cultivation of sweet potatoes, maize and beans.

The second target group are the 600 primary and secondary school children in Ndelenyuma, Lutukira, Mbangamawe and Gumbiro villages who will participate in the project as volunteers. This group has chosen because are the prospective farmers and hunters.

The needs of community in Villages of Songea became known to our organisation after conducted a community needs assessment that analyzed the gaps in community services. During assessment the local people reported that local communities disliked wildlife inhabiting in and around their surroundings by poaching due to the human – wildlife conflict because of crop raiders which includes herbivore wild animals, monkeys, warthog, common mole rat, porcupine, duike, mountain nyala and sugar cane rat that damage potato, Maize and legume. Further, people noted that many areas which used to be very fertile are now barren and the overall agricultural productivity in the area has declined dramatically which is pushing people deeper into poverty. This implies that community needs Environmental Change.

After community needs assessment the report was shared to the community and then our company involved the community in idea of establishing a wildlife farming business. The community accepted the business.

Our wildlife farming business provides service to community which impacted to lives of people on 5 aspects such as;-

• Food security  by sustaining organic natural food supply from conserved wildlife;
• Poverty reduction by generating income from selling harvested wildlife animals in a sustainable use;
• Tourism in restored Miombo woodland habitats as conserved farm
• Preserved biodiversity will aids in the carbon-sequestering process;
• Pressure on wild animals which are often poached for food will be reduced.

The problem of Poaching and deforestation to Miombo woodlands trees in Songea district which is done by selected rural population is well-aligned to the Challenge because it endangers wildlife animal species outside the protected areas and reducing the forest covers as a result ecosystems destroyed. Wildlife farming business by integrating with natural forest conservation is well-aligned to the Challenge and dimension of scalable economic opportunities for local communities because has component of natural resources in sustainable way for income generation and food supply hence the lost ecosystems be restored.

I selected the prototype stage because it is new business model at building and testing organic natural resource products. The purpose of establishing this new business concept of farming wild animal species is for game meat production as an alternative economic activity to boost rural incomes and protein supply while improving natural forest conservation. It was established on 19 April, 2020 and we are working with communities of Songea village.

Innovatives of our wildlife farming model is that it operates under in-situ techniques where wildlife animals are protected, managed and monitored in the natural habitat by considering natural forest conservation for restoring and sustaining     ecosystems. it will change the market of natural resource.

 Our business model is significantly improved approach because it involves traditional farming by maintaining wildlife animals in their natural ecosystem hence products produced organically. It differs from wildlife zoos model which involves domesticating carnivores outside natural habitats for tourism purposes only without considering natural forest conservation.
Wildlife farming business model will be catalytic in rural areas by attracting many community members to engage in the business hence Positive impacts community and Miombo woodland biodiversity are;

(a) Villages (Rural areas):

• The rural areas largely depend on forests for fuel, fruits, wood, mushroom and honey.
• Reforestation has increased resources and  the inhabited animals are not in danger for the villagers
• Improvement of household income hence poverty reduction
• Improvement of meat supply hence food security in the community

 (b) Wild animals:

• The natural habitats of the animals are restored d by reforestation.
• With natural habitat the animals are with place to live and breed. As a result of this, many animals are at safe from poached.

(c) Environment:

• Reforestation has resulted in resilient climate.
• Carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants with no adverse effect on our ecosystem

Currently the population served by our business is 173,821 customers (Male 86,548, Female 87,273). The projected target population to be served by business in next one year are 1,376,891 (Male 668,684 and Female 708,207) while in five years is 4,917,320 consumers (Male 2,356,812 and Female 2,560,508) and among them Urban people are 1,232,861 (Male 583,528 and Female 649,333) and Rural people 3,684,459 (Male 1,773,284 and Female 1,911,175) in Ruvuma, Njombe, Lindi, Mtwara, Pwani and Morogoro regions.

These people will be impacted directly with our business by supplying natural products to them (including 500Kg of mushrooms, 100 Kg of forest fruits, 2,500 bird eggs, 90 liters of honey, firewood fuel, medicinal plants and 50 tree poles for construction of houses) which will help to End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition while promoting sustainable Wildlife farming.

Indicators we are using to measure the progress of our business categorized as Impact indicators, Outcome indicators and Output indicators which includes;

 Impact Indicators:

Impact Indicator 1: Number of households with food security and improved nutrition

Impact Indicator 2: Four (04) established and sustainable wildlife farms

 Outcome Indicators:

Outcome Indicators 1: 500 acres of area under productive wildlife farming

Outcome Indicators 2: Five (5) restored forests

Outcome Indicators 3: 300 youths aged 15-24 year in employment at Ndaleda wildlife farm

 Output Indicators:

Output Indicators 1.1: 20 species of wildlife animals often poached for food farmed

Output Indicators 1.2: 21,450 Kg of game meat sold to indigenous people

Output Indicators 2.1: 1,500 acres of natural Forest trees under protection

Output Indicators 3.1: 100 youths employed

Numbers of workers in our business are 40 where full-time staff are 10 (Male 4: female 6), part-time staff are 23 (Male 10: Female 13) and Construction contractors 7 (Male 5: Female 2)

Services delivered by Management Personnel that are qualified, hardworking, dedicated, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders. 80 % of our staff holds Bachelor Degree in their specific professionals.

The business is governed by staff in four departments for assurance of working systems lead by Dr. Ramadhani Abdul Mwaiganju an Executive Director. He is a Tanzanian Veterinary Surgeon aging 44 years. He has over 12 years experience in promotion of agriculture and Livestock production, Provision of extension services, combating malnutrition and poverty reduction in Tanzania.

Information of each head of department is as follows;

1. Esther Joshua Mwaiganju a Tanzanian girl aging 24 years. She has over 2 years experience in Management of Accounts of the NGOs and supervision of several projects.

 2. Lucy January Mwambila a Tanzanian girl aging 22 years. She has over 2 years experience in Administration of the Company and supervision of training and processing projects.

3.  January Mwambila a Tanzanian girl aging 22 years a veteran butcher with 23 years experience in butcher shops is managing and directing all issues concerning butcher services.

 4. Yusta Mbalale a Tanzanian woman. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Marketing. She is an experienced marketing and retailing Food-Service Manager.   

5. Jordan Haule a Tanzanian man holds a Bachelor Degree in Wildlife Management. He is an experienced Game officer in quality control  and inspection of natural products and wildlife management.   

The approach for building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership team is by NDALEDA Company requiring every employee to conduct himself in a manner designed to promote the interest, good image, and well being of the company as per its approved mission, objectives and organizational culture. NDALEDA staff therefore shall maintain their integrity at all times and therefore must adhere to the Ethics. Respect, Voluntarism, Professionalism and uphold Team Spirit in implementing organizations functions. The team engages so much with the community to get more experiences in leadership as well.

To be linked with different development partners who may support scaling up our business. This will connected us to several opportunities including networking, mentoring, access to information, other support, meeting international change makers and solvers of different problems. On the other hand, we anticipate to have a connection with the SOLVE and other solvers of different challenges in the world. We hope and strongly believe that problems such as poverty, climate change and poor health as well as malnutrition levels can be reduced.

Our Company needs partners or support in the areas that constraining our business especially;

• Low investment capital for completion of the existing infrastructures especially construction of 4Km for fence wall, addition water tanks and drinking troughs, construction of honey processing unit and adding value of parts of medicinal plants;
• Low working capital for purchasing wildlife animal’s parent stocks, daily working tools, cold room, packaging materials and storage equipments for controlling quality of game meat, mushrooms, forest fruits and honey
• Insufficient transportation facilities such as meat van and refrigerated motor cycle for transporting of products to marketing facilities.
• Insufficient marketing facilities such as processing machinery, rehabilitation of poor cold rooms and purchase of cool boxes.

I would like to partner with any organization  willing to partner with our business. Partnership may be on sharing production technology, Financial support partnership either as grant or as loan and research of markets partnership.

Actually We need partners for can advancing our business financially, market expansions, Machinery and technologies

We qualify for GM prize because our solution engaged in creating smart, safe, and sustainable communities in Tanzania as objectives of GM prize. 

We qualify for Women Prize because our solution engaged in using innovative technology to improve quality of life for 2,560,508 Female (women and girls) in terms of food security and income generation in line of Women Prize objectives.

We qualify for ServiceNow Prize because our solution engaged in connecting communities to develop, share, and replicate reforestation of natural forests practices for carbon absorption in line of ServiceNow Prize objectives.

We qualify for GSR Prize because our solution engaged in Resilient Ecosystems Challenges