Grumeti Fund

The Grumeti Community & Wildlife Conservation Fund, commonly known as the Grumeti Fund, was established in 2003 by Grumeti Reserves Ltd, to assist the Tanzanian Wildlife Division with law enforcement, wildlife management and community development projects.

Mission Statement
To rehabilitate and maintain the indigenous biodiversity of the western Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem for the benefit of local communities, and district, national and international stakeholders, through strategies and practices that are that are financially and economically sustainable, ecologically and environmentally responsible and politically acceptable

The Grumeti Fund is a non-profit organisation and is currently financed by donations. The future of the project rests on it being mainly funded through a sustainable commercial tourism operation managed by Singita Grumeti Reserves (SGR), with applications to external donors for specific projects.

Singita Grumeti Reserves currently operates three camps and lodges – Sasakwa Lodge, Sabora Plains Tented Camp and Faru Faru River Lodge. Through these low-impact / high income commercial activities, SGR endeavours to offer top class accommodation, exclusivity and a unique experience to its clients. In return, the guest can experience abundant wildlife as well as a feeling of participation and contribution to a project that is socially and ecologically beneficial.

Grumeti Fund repeatedly reverts to its Mission Statement and continually strives towards forging positive partnerships between Communities and Wildlife. By creating direct links between livelihoods and wildlife, there is a positive contribution to the long-term ecological health of the Serengeti Ecosystem.

Law enforcement - the unit has had an unprecedented impact and poaching has become virtually unknown in the reserves. All scouts are ex-poachers and patrol the entire area, unarmed, by foot every day to secure the reserves and report on wildlife sightings. It is believed to be the most intense wildlife law-enforcement effort in the continent.

Wildlife monitoring - on-going data collection has revealed a rapid and steady increase in resident game; a direct result of increased security and stable habitats and providing year-round, game-viewing experiences for guests of three exclusive tourism ventures within the reserves.

Research – data collected by the Wildlife Management department is analysed and shared with research organisations and experts locally, nationally and worldwide to gain a greater understanding of our role in the ecosystem at species, habitat and biozone levels.

Reintroduction of rare species – since its inception, one of the clear goals of GF was to reintroduce black rhino (Diceros bicornis michaeli) to the western Serengeti. The logo of GF was designed over 4 yrs ago and incorporates the image of a female black rhino with a calf. Successful law enforcement and evidence of increasing resident game numbers paved the way for the project to move forward. The vision was realised in 2007 with the repatriation of two black rhino from Port Lympne Wild Animal Park in UK to Tanzania. This does not constitute the salvation of this endangered species within the ecosystem but does represent an exciting way forward for future reintroductions to the western Serengeti.

Community Development – in tandem with the focus on conservation has been extensive support for and investment in local communities. The main focus has been on assisting small scale business units create self-sustaining jobs. These small businesses are largely agricultural enterprises and the goal of the programme is to reduce any reliance on illegal hunting as a form of livelihood and to provide local people with alternative sources of protein and income. The Grumeti Fund also facilitates the training of local people in the knowledge and skills required to run such enterprises. It also provides information and financial support. A grant scheme, in the form of ‘revolving funds’ has been implemented. Grants are made and then re-paid in cash or kind to assist other future projects. The lodges also provide a market for local produce – upwards of 500 staff are fed three meals per day and local produce is used where practical. The final area of focus of the Fund’s community development effort has been the education of the local youth. This support has taken the form of the building and rehabilitation of schools; enhancing the ability of teachers to develop holistic skills amongst pupils; the provision of textbooks; and financial support for individual children through scholarship awards.

The Grumeti Fund is directly involved to a greater or lesser degree in the following arenas:

• Improving habitat diversity, resident game numbers and game viewing opportunities through wildlife observation data analysis, rainfall data analysis and habitat assessment
• Developing links, collaborations and data sharing with national and international research organisations and individuals to further understand the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem
• Rehabilitating, maintaining and reintroducing historically important flora and fauna as well as securing habitat integrity
• Providing scholarships to over seventy secondary, college and tertiary students as well as promoting adult education aimed at improving existing agricultural and livestock practices
• Supporting construction of schools, classrooms, teacher housing, laboratories, offices, ablutions and assisting with text book purchases
• Facilitating a potable water drilling project and encouraging water harvesting practices for villages, secondary schools and livestock
• Launching community initiatives such as fish farming, bee keeping, vegetable gardens and sunflower oil production for camp kitchens and the lodge
• Encouraging the establishment of tree nurseries and cement brick production aimed at discouraging deforestation
• Introducing environmentally sound concepts to village houses, for example wood saving stoves and bio-latrines at secondary schools
• Supporting Right to Play International in developing healthy child development through sport and play activities

The future
Conservation areas need to be able to pay for themselves through sustainable use of natural resources, such as photographic tourism, and be able to demonstrate to local communities that by preserving their wildlife heritage, they will benefit directly, as will the future and health of wildlife in the Serengeti Ecosystem.

These are still relatively early days, but the events unfolding at Grumeti Fund represent a unique formula for conservation in Tanzania.