Tourism for Sustainable Livelihood in Protected Areas (The Case of Nachsar National Park, Ethiopia)

143 Pages·2014·1.54 MB·English

Tourism for Sustainable Livelihood in Protected Areas
(The Case of Nachsar National Park, Ethiopia)
Chalachew Almaw Tefera
MSc Thesis
Wageningen University
August, 2014
Tourism for Sustainable Livelihood in Protected Areas
(The case of Nachsar National Park, Ethiopia)
MSc Thesis By
Chalachew Almaw Tefera
Supervisor: Dr. Chin Ee Ong
MSc:Leisure, Tourism and Environment
Cultural Geography Group
Wageningen University and Research Centre
The Netherlands
August, 2014
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Acknowledgements
It is my pleasure to take this opportunity to thank not only those who contributed in this thesis
but also those who supported me in one way or another in two years masters study program here
in Wageningen University, the Netherlands.
First I would like to thank Nuffic-NFP for its financial support to conduct my study in the
Netherlands. Next, my special thanks go to my thesis supervisor Dr. Chine Ee Ong for his
professional and friendly advice, encouragement and feedback to complete my thesis. I also like
to thank Professor Rene Van der Duim for advising me at the beginning of the study and his
impression on sustainable tourism area through his lecture and provision of books and articles.
My heart-felt thank goes to staff of NNP, EWCA, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Gamo Gofa
Zone Culture and Tourism Bureau and all respondents for their hospitality in supplying the
necessary information for the study. Special thanks goes to my field work assistant Bayisa Busa
and driver Yohannes Dubale without your support my data collection would not be successful.
Finally, I would like to thank my great family and friends for your kind support and
encouragement throughout my study. Things would not have been go forward without your
support. All different stakeholders who helped me directly or indirectly but not listed here
deserves my special thank.
Thank You All and God bless You!
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Abstract
Linking the benefit of conservation activities in protected areas with the livelihood of the
community through nature based tourism has great contribution to sustainable utilization of its
resources and improves its local communities` livelihood. If the local communities involve and
benefits from the park, the park easily wins the support of local communities to undertake
effective conservation activities. Based on this argument, the study has examined how the
existing tourism activity in the park influences the livelihood of local communities by using
sustainable livelihood framework. The study has used semi-structures interview, focus group
discussion, participant field observation and document analysis methods. The main finding of the
study indicated that the benefit of tourism to local communities is mainly concentrated in Arba
Minch town and this resulted in rural communities to lead their traditional livelihood activities
which encourage unsustainable use of the park resources. The ineffectiveness of the institutional
set up to involve rural communities in its tourism initiative has created problems like overgrazing,
overfishing, deforestation and settlement in the park. In addition, the weak institutional policies
of the park do not enable the park to make link with partners to address the livelihood of local
communities as well as the conservation objective of the park effectively. Thus, the study
suggests that the park has to find partners, involve rural local communities in its tourism initiative,
focus on infrastructural development in the areas to enhance assets basses of the communities, fix
its political problem and get its legal recognition.
Key words: protected areas, livelihood, sustainable, tourism, conservation, sustainable livelihood.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements...................................................................................ii
Abstract....................................................................................................iii
Table of Contents.....................................................................................iv
List of Tables and Figures....................................................................... ix
List Of Acronyms ..................................................................................... x
Chapter One : Introduction....................................................................... 1
1.1.General Background........................................................................... 1
1.2. Statement of the Problem .................................................................. 2
1.3. Research Objectives and Questions .................................................. 5
1.4. Significance of the study................................................................... 5
1.5. Structure of the Thesis....................................................................... 6
Chapter Two: Literature Review and Conceptual Framework ................ 7
2. 1. Literature Review............................................................................. 7
2.1. 1. Conservation............................................................................ 7
2.1.2. Protected Areas......................................................................... 8
2.1.3. Protected Areas and community..............................................11
2.1.4. Linking Conservation and Livelihood.................................... 12
2.1.5. Tourism as a Tool to Link Conservation with Livelihood ... 13
2.1.6. Community Involvement........................................................ 14
2.2. Conceptual Framework ................................................................. 14
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2.2.1. Understanding of Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA)14
2.2.2. Critiques of Sustainability and Sustainable Livelihood
Approach............................................................................. 16
2.2.3. Sustainable Livelihood Approach and Conservation.......... 17
2.2.4. Sustainable Livelihood Approach as the Study Framework 18
Chapter Three: Research Methodology.................................................. 25
3.1. Study area ....................................................................................... 25
3.2. Research Design ............................................................................ 27
3.3. Method of Data Collection............................................................ 27
3.4. Method of Analysis ....................................................................... 31
3.5. Ethics and Validity Consideration................................................. 32
3.6. Limitation of the Study.................................................................. 33
3.7. Postionality of the Researcher....................................................... 33
Chapter Four: Analysis......................................................................... 36
4.1. Conservation and Tourism in Ethiopia.......................................... 36
4.2. Livelihood of the community........................................................ 39
4.3. Community’s Livelihood Strategy and Tourism........................... 40
4.4. Community’s Livelihood Assets and Tourism.............................. 46
4.4.1 Human capital......................................................................... 46
4.4.2. Social Capital......................................................................... 51
4.4.3. Natural Capital....................................................................... 56
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4.4.4. Physical Capital..................................................................... 61
4.4.5. Financial Capital.................................................................... 64
4.5. The Influence of Tourism Structures and Processes on the
Community`s Livelihood........................................................... 67
4.5.1. Processes................................................................................ 67
4.5.1.1. Policies............................................................................. 67
4.5.1.1. 1. Conservation Strategy of Ethiopia (CSE)............... 67
4.5.1.1. 2. Tourism Development Policy of Ethiopia (TDPE). 68
4.5.1.1. 3. Wildlife Policy and Strategy of Ethiopia................. 68
4.5.1.2. Legislation .......................................................................... 69
4.5.1.2. 1.Proclamation and Regulation of Ethiopian Wildlife69
4.5.1.2. 2. International Legislations...................................... 70
4.5.1.3. Institutions ........................................................................ 71
4.5.1.3.1. Market................................................................ 71
4.5.1.3.2. Tourism Related Institutions............................. 74
4.5.1.4. Community’s Culture and Tourism.................................. 75
4.5.2. Structure................................................................................... 78
4.5.2.1. Level of the Government......................................... 78
4.5.2.2. Public-Private Arrangements .................................. 81
4.6. Community’s Livelihood Outcomes and Tourism........................ 82
4.6.1. More Income.................................................................... 82
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4.6.2. Improved Food Security.................................................. 84
4.6.3. Increased Well-being....................................................... 85
4.6.4. Reduce Vulnerability....................................................... 86
4.6.5. Sustainable Use of Natural Resource bases .................... 87
4.7. Vulnerability Context and Tourism............................................... 90
4.7.1. Seasonality........................................................................ 90
4.7.2. Trends ............................................................................... 91
4.7.3. Shock ................................................................................ 93
Chapter Five: Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation............. 95
5.1. Discussion...................................................................................... 95
5.1.1. Community’s Livelihood Strategy and Tourism................ 95
5.1.2. Community’s Livelihood Assets and Tourism .................. 96
5.1.3. The Influence of Tourism Structures and Processes on the
Community`s Livelihood.................................................. 100
5.1.4. Community’s Livelihood Outcomes and Tourism.......... 103
5.1.5. Vulnerability Context and Tourism................................. 105
5.2. Conclusion................................................................................... 107
5.2.1. Theoretical Implication of the Study................................ 112
5.3. Recommendation......................................................................... 113
References..............................................................................................115
Appendixes ........................................................................................... 123
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Appendix 1: Interview Guide for Community Members.............. 123
Appendix 2: Focused Group Discussion....................................... 125
Appendix 3: Interview Guide for Park Officials........................... 127
Appendix 4: Interview Guide for EWCA Officials....................... 128
Appendix 5: Interview Guide for Development Organizations.... 129
Appendix 6: Interview Guide for Local Government Officials.... 130
Appendix 7: Observation Guideline.............................................. 130
Appendix 8: Tourist Flow to Ethiopia, Its Protected Areas and
NNP......................................................................... 131
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List of Tables and Figures
List of Tables
Table 1: Definition and Primary Objectives of IUCN Protected Area Categories.........................9
Table 2: Summary of the main components of livelihood assets..................................................22
Table 3: Profile of Research Data.................................................................................................30
Table 4. Various Types of Ethiopia`s Protected Areas.................................................................37
Table 5. Employment Profile in NNP...........................................................................................66
Table 6. Total Number of Tourists..............................................................................................131
Table 7: NNP Tourist Flow and Income from 1994-2013..........................................................132
List of Figures
Figure 1: The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework......................................................................19
Figure 2. Map of the Study Area...................................................................................................26
Figure 3: Tourist Flow to Ethiopia and its PAs.............................................................................38
Figure 4: Tourist Flows to Ethiopian PAs and NNP.....................................................................39
Figure 5: Livelihood Strategy of Guji Oromo Community and Wildlife .....................................41
Figure 6: Associations Organized by NNP...................................................................................45
Figure 7: Bunna Kalla Ceremony..................................................................................................52
Figure 8: Koore Community Using Forest Products from the Park..............................................59
Figure 9: NNP Forest and Gamo Community...............................................................................59
Figure 10: Firewood Collection in NNP.......................................................................................60
Figure 11: In Route Exchange Place.............................................................................................61
Figure 12: Employment Opportunity of NNP to its local communities .......................................66
Figure 13: Invasive Species in Plain Areas of NNP......................................................................92
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