Assessment of Bagungu community participation in wildlife conservation in Murchison Falls National Park

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the participation of Bagungu community in wildlife conservation in Murchison falls national park in Uganda. The objectives were to assess the processes of local community participation in planning and decision making to conserve wildlife, examine local community’s perception of their participation in wildlife conservation, and assess the challenges faced by local people as they participate in wildlife conservation. A sample size of 200 respondents was obtained and included 190 local community members and 5 leaders of Bugungu and 5 Uganda Wildlife Authority staff who were selected using of both simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using questionnaire and focus group discussions analyzed quantitatively in SPSS and qualitatively using thematic analysis. Data analyzed revealed that local people participate in the conservation of the wildlife resources through planting of trees, cleaning and making the community roads, making souvenirs and crafts, community awareness about conservation, and formation of the local community conservation clubs. The study further established that although the local community agreed that local community positively participate in conservation-based projects around Murchison Falls National Park, and that the part of the tourism resources is shared with the local community, but some disagreed that that only local leaders should be involved in planning of wildlife management in the park and that Bagungu have traditional knowledge of wildlife conservation. Further, the finding revealed local people agreed that the local community positively participate in conservation-based projects that the part of the tourism resources is shared with the local community, local people should be consulted about wildlife conservation however it was disagreed that only local leaders should be involved in planning of wildlife management in the park. Challenges encountered include lack of awareness about conservation crop damages and lack of compensation to the families that lose life or crop damages through animal attack, and limited capital. It was from these results that the study recommends that; there is a need for policy issues that need to be addressed for the effective involvement of local people in the conservation of natural resources, Promotion of equitable community conservation planning and management so as to accelerate community-based development efforts from the ground up and also strengthen the community’s abilities to act for them, there is a need to promote community-based conservation organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Murchison Falls National Park area for technical and financial support and lastly, there is a need to encourage the private sector to invest in conservation development planning and enterprises while engaging local communities.