Pastoral-Conservation Conflicts in Tanzania are Likely to Continue for Unforeseeable Future: Evidence from Saadani National Park

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.113.16

Abstract:
Since conservation conflicts occur within a particular cultural, political, and social context, they must be analyzed and addressed within the same context. This paper examines the pastoral- conservation conflicts in the context of Tanzania’s national parks using the case study of Saadani National Park (SANAPA), with the view to understanding their nature, root causes, and sustainable solutions to such conflicts. Fieldwork involved multiple methods of data collection: in-depth interviews with conservation management officials, community leaders, pastoralists, and an NGO dealing with pastoral issues; focus group discussions with small-scale farmers (peasants); informal discussions with the wider community; document analysis; and field observations. These were coupled with a four-month period stay in the study area plus the researcher’s experience with the wider community. The results indicate that the main conflict between conservation and pastoralism in the study area is the encroachment into SANAPA by livestock in search of pasture and water. The livestock encroachment, however, is seasonal and is done by migrating pastoralists who are not originally from around the park. The conflict happening in this particular case study is more than a resource - use conflict driven by access denial. It is also more than being prompted by changing climate patterns that have caused sustained drought in pastoral areas. The conflict is prompted by a mobile form of livestock keeping and herd sizes embedded in pastoral culture and value systems, and is reinforced by the practices of soliciting bribes embraced by conservation management staff, politicians, administrators, police and magistrates. With these practices, conflicts between pastoralism and other forms of livelihoods (not necessarily conservation) in Tanzania are likely to continue for unforeseeable future.

Keywords:
pastoral-conservation conflicts, biodiversity conservation, pastoralism, conservation, agriculture, livestock encroachment, Saadani National Park.

Article Info:
Received: 01 May 2026; Received in revised form: 26 May 2026; Accepted: 03 Jun 2026; Available online: 13 Jun 2026

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