Private sector keen to partner with govt in fighting poaching

By Correspondent

1. 

The Executive Director, Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF), Godfrey Simbeye.

The private sector in Tanzania has expressed interest to take part in the fight against poaching that threatens the existence of elephants and several other iconic animals in the country.


The Executive Director, Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF),  Godfrey Simbeye said the private sector can work with the government through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) modal in protecting the wildlife.

“We think that we have a moral duty to take part in this fight,” he said.

Last year, TPSF met with the Minister responsible for Tourism and Natural Resources and discussed several areas where the country’s private sector can contribute more toward making the sector vibrant.

To show its seriousness, TPSF has now partnered with a locally registered company, Bathawk Recon, who now together want to propose a use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Anti Poaching OPS technology in fighting poaching.

Simbeye noted that hundreds of private companies such as tour operators companies numbered at 400 will be severely affected if tourism industry in the country will be weakened should poaching continue.

“Tourism sector contributes 17 per cent of the national income and employs 300,000 people,” he said. It is due to the sector’s importance to the country that they want to propose the use of the technology to guard the country’s wildlife.

According to the Director of Bathawk Recon, Tom Lithgow, his company is able to introduce the technology in Tanzania and work with the government in anti poaching activities.

Explaining on how it works, he said Bathawk Recon anti poaching ops are based on deploying modular units called Pods that are flown over parks or national reserves during nights and send information on any suspicious activity for relevant authorities to follow up.

“With large areas that can be surveyed and the ability to change areas as a result of gathered intelligence this anti poaching tactic will create and immediate and significant deterrent,” he said.

For now, the company together with TPSF are working on the permission from the government to do trials.

According to Lithgow, the technology is being used in South Africa and continues to show some good results. 

Kenya trials
He said that thorough and effective anti poaching activities constitute important measures toward protecting wildlife and that technology has a role to play in today’s world.

The Assistant Director-Anti Poaching, Wildlife Division, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Julius Kibebe said technology has a role to play in anti poaching endeavours.

He noted that more participation of the private sector can have positive impact in protecting the country’s treasures.

He explained that the Ministry is about to put in place the National Anti Poaching Strategy that will involve players from the village up to the national level.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN