Contributions of Community Based Natural Resource Management to Livelihoods: A Case of Villages Adjacent to Ikongoro Grumeti Game Reserves.

The study assessed the contributions of community based natural resource management to livelihoods in order to understand how rural communities reap out of existing CBNRM programs available in the locality. The study adopted the mixed methods research design. Purposive and non probability sampling techniques were applied. The main tools for data collection were interviews and documentary review. Data analysis involved identifying data, coding, and categorizing patterns for fixing them up in analysis software. The study found that the main programs dealing with CBNRM in Makao and Ikona within Ikongoro Grumeti reserves were Serengeti Ecosystem Management Authority, Wildlife Management Authority and Serengeti Ecosystem Development & Conservation Project. These programs were categorized as low, medium and large scale, respectively. Also, they were short and long termed programmes. The study revealed that the major direct benefits to livelihoods were employment opportunities that were obtained from tourist activities, income and entrepreneurship skills, decreased the reliance on illegal poaching as well as loan funds to grow low income businesses such as chicken rearing, food vending and shops. Also, there is improvement of social and economic village infrastructure such as schools and health centres and rehabilitation of feeder roads. The study shows that the main factors affecting community participation into CBNRM Programs were low level of project knowledge (53%) and household being overwhelmed by personal responsibilities (40%). The study recommended that household-based livelihood service provision be over emphasized as opposed to indirect livelihood opportunities provision in the villages under CBNRM programs. Keywords: Livelihood, Natural Resource Management, Community, Management