BUSAN: THE government has outlined new measures to protect the Ngorongoro Conservation Area’s UNESCO World Heritage status while addressing growing pressure from population growth, rising livestock numbers and community livelihood challenges within the protected area.
The strategy was presented during a special seminar organised on the sidelines of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, where officials discussed efforts to strengthen conservation while supporting communities living in the area.
The government said the measures are being implemented in cooperation with UNESCO, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and other conservation partners.
Tanzania’s Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Saidi Yakubu, said protecting World Heritage sites requires transparency, dialogue and cooperation between governments, local communities and international stakeholders.
He said the country has maintained engagement with UNESCO and its advisory bodies on safeguarding the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and has invited UNESCO, IUCN and ICOMOS to conduct a reactive monitoring mission as part of ongoing conservation efforts.
The discussions highlighted growing pressure on the ecosystem, including rapid population growth, increased livestock numbers, reduced grazing areas and rising human-wildlife conflict.
Secretary to the Presidential Commission on Land Issues in Ngorongoro District, Mr Thadei Kabonge, said recommendations submitted to the government were aimed at finding a balance between protecting the conservation area and improving the welfare of residents.
The proposals include reviewing the legal framework governing the conservation area, identifying suitable areas for voluntary relocation, providing support packages for those who choose to move and ensuring residents who remain during the transition period can continue their daily activities.
Mr Kabonge said the recommendations followed a seven-month assessment by the Presidential Commission established after concerns were raised by Maasai representatives over land use and conservation during a meeting with President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Arusha in December 2024.
The commission found that population growth had significantly increased pressure on natural resources. The number of residents rose from about 8,000 in 1959 to 100,793 in 2022 and is projected to reach 276,651 by 2050.
Livestock numbers also increased from 261,723 in 1960 to 715,466 in 2022, reducing available grazing areas and affecting wildlife corridors.
The assessment also recorded growing human-wildlife conflict, with 77 people killed, 274 injured and 1,450 livestock lost to wildlife between 2015 and 2025.
Mr Kabonge said reliance on livestock alone was becoming increasingly difficult to sustain and called for alternative economic opportunities that support both conservation and community livelihoods.
Beyond its ecological importance, Ngorongoro remains a major contributor to the tourism economy. Authorities said the conservation area generated 114 million US dollars in tourism revenue during the 2025/26 financial year, while visitor numbers increased from 884,500 to more than 1.06 million.
The area also supports more than 21,000 jobs across the tourism value chain, according to government figures.
Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre Lazare Eloundou Assomo commended cooperation between the government, UNESCO, advisory bodies and local communities in addressing conservation challenges.
African Group Chairperson Ambassador Pierre Faye praised the country’s conservation efforts, noting that about 38 per cent of its land is dedicated to conservation, and called for continued international support to protect heritage sites while promoting sustainable development.
The government said the measures are intended to ensure Ngorongoro remains a globally important conservation area while creating a sustainable future for the communities who depend on it.
