By Edmund Salaho, Loliondo–Ngorongoro
Aug. 17, 2026. Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), in partnership with Germany’s development agencies, is implementing community development and conservation projects worth about 6.3 million euros ($7.4 million), equivalent to roughly Sh19 billion, in Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region.
The programme seeks to improve community livelihoods and public services while strengthening conservation of the wider Serengeti ecosystem.
It is being implemented under the Serengeti Ecosystem Development and Conservation Project (SEDCP), financed by the German government through KfW Development Bank, with support from the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS).
During Monday’s inauguration of the Enguserosambu Dispensary, representatives of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), KfW and other partners witnessed the handover of the facility.
The state-of-the-art dispensary, located in Enguserosambu Ward, was constructed at a cost of Sh504 million (180,000 euros) and will serve about 5,000 people.
Nuhu Daniel Massay, TANAPA Assistant Conservation Commissioner–National Parks Development, who also coordinates donor-funded projects, investments and parks planning, said the interventions demonstrate the importance of linking conservation with the wellbeing of communities living alongside protected areas.
“Conservation cannot be separated from the livelihoods and wellbeing of communities. These investments demonstrate that protecting wildlife and ecosystems must go hand in hand with improving the lives of people living around protected areas,” Massay said.
He added that better access to education, healthcare, water, markets and sustainable livelihoods could make communities stronger partners in protecting natural resources.
Joachim Schmitt, Head of Delegation, said he was impressed by the scale and impact of the projects, adding that “the best is yet to come,” while commending Tanzania-Germany cooperation for showing how conservation and community development can reinforce each other.
Across the Serengeti ecosystem, SEDCP has supported 69 social infrastructure projects in Serengeti and Ngorongoro districts.
These include 14 dispensaries, 16 classrooms, 23 houses for teachers and health workers, one dining hall, one dormitory, six feeder roads and eight charco dams.
In Ngorongoro District, 36 community development projects have been implemented, with 15 completed and handed over to communities and 21 at various final stages.
The projects include 11 classrooms, a dining hall, seven dispensaries, 10 houses for teachers and health workers, four feeder roads covering 46 kilometres and three charco dams.
The programme is also supporting livelihoods and sustainable land management through FZS. According to district officials, 23 Community Conservation Banks (COCOBAs) have provided self-employment and income-generating opportunities to 835 people—444 women and 391 men.
SEDCP has additionally supported village land-use planning, issuance of Certificates of Customary Rights of Occupancy (CCROs) and community-based protection of forests and grazing areas in Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Bariadi, Bunda and Tarime districts.
Ngorongoro District Administrative Secretary Hamza Hamza said the projects had improved access to education, healthcare and water while strengthening the relationship between conservation and community development.
“These investments are not merely infrastructure. They have made a real difference in the lives of our people,” Hamza said, adding that communities were becoming more involved in protecting forests, grazing areas and other natural resources.
The German-backed programme is also designed to diversify household livelihoods and reduce pressure on natural resources.
During Monday’s field visit, the BMZ and KfW delegation inspected the Charco Dam at Olorien Village, where officials explained its benefits to communities and livestock.
The dam cost Sh1.1 billion (363,363.16 euros) and is located in Olorien Village/Magaiduru Ward, benefiting communities in Olorien and Magaiduru villages.
It serves a population of 5,011 people and 109,838 livestock, including cows, goats, sheep and donkeys.
TANAPA is the client, with the Ngorongoro District Executive Director, ward and village leaders, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) and the District commissioner, among key stakeholders.
The delegation later travelled to Lopolum village, where Maasai community members presented aspects of their traditional way of life and discussed the benefits and challenges of the programme.
COCOBA groups demonstrated their savings and income-generating activities, while members of the Enguserosambu Forest Trust and village forest scouts explained their work protecting the community forest.
The partnership brings together TANAPA, BMZ, KfW, the German Embassy, FZS and Tanzanian government authorities.
Massay said TANAPA would continue working with development partners and local authorities to ensure projects are completed to the required standards and maintained for lasting benefits.
He said the programme demonstrates the value of Tanzania-Germany cooperation in linking conservation with the socio-economic development of communities living near protected areas.