Addressing the Illegal Killing of Birds (IKB)

Birds are the best indicators of ecosystem health with some of them migrating between Europe and Africa every year. However, during migration most of them are targeted and killed by local communities, mainly for food and as source of income, affecting their population. To address this challenge, Nature Tanzania is implementing a program to reduce Illegal Killing of Birds (IKB) in Tanzania. Nature Tanzania is implementing a project to address the illegal killing of birds (IKB) in Central Tanzania, funded by the NABU International Foundation. The project operates in the Kongwa and Mpwapwa districts in the Dodoma region and is supported by the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), NABU International Foundation and Niedersächsischer Landesbetrieb für Wasserwirtschaft, Küsten- und Naturschutz (NLWKN). The project addresses the illegal killing of birds, significantly threatening migrant and resident bird populations and biodiversity. The project addresses IKB through nature education, sports, bird monitoring (resident, Palearctic, and intra-African migrants), and supporting alternative livelihood and income-generating activities. The alternative livelihood programs are implemented by former bird poachers, primarily youths, who are now organized into football teams.   Because income is the main IKB driver, bird hunters (primarily youths) were organised into two football teams in the Kongwa and Mpwapwa districts, Dodoma region. The two football teams were supported with beekeeping and pig farming projects, and in return, they support bird conservation. Under the two football teams, 95 youths (49 females) are implementing beekeeping. During the reporting period, more than 350 kg of honey was harvested and sold out, generating revenue of Tsh 3,500,000. 42 former bird hunters (14 females and 20 youths) are implementing pig farming. They started with 14 pigs, and so far, two pigs gave birth to 15 piglets, making 29 pigs. During the reporting period, Tshs 1,400,000 was generated by selling four pigs. The youths plan to construct another pig house and expand their business, including venturing into goat and sunflower farming. The youths also raise awareness of nature conservation during football competitions/games, including IKB –more than 1,500 youths have been reached. The IKB program also supported two women groups (32 members) to establish chicken farming, starting with 50 chickens. We also recorded project replication at the village level, e.g., two community members at Msagali village adopted the beekeeping project (10 modern beehives), and two other groups in Manungu and Msagali villages have started goat farming projects with 1 and 6 goats respectively.