Wild meat has been an important food source and cultural practice in Tanzania for generations.  This project is framed by Tanzania’s Game Meat Selling Regulations, which, when fast-tracked into law by Presidential decree in 2020, presented both threats and opportunities to manage a legal supply of wild animal meat (i.e., game meat, as distinguished from illegal ‘bushmeat’) for the domestic market.

TRAFFIC worked with the Tanzanian Wildlife Management Authority and other government departments and research institutions, as well as private sector and civil society actors. The project has developed a bespoke approach which incorporates One Health concerns together with insights from trade chain analysis to identify critical control points for mitigation of potential zoonotic disease risks and ensure that the game meat industry develops in a safe, legal and sustainable direction.

The Tanzania focus provided a valuable opportunity to develop a specific risk-management approach which has government support from the outset. This project gathered qualitative and quantitative data to understand potential disease and spillover risks via a wildlife disease risk analysis. In developing recommendations for risk management, the project was also considering the importance of livelihoods and socio-economic motivations, traceability and compliance with supply chain management protocols by priority stakeholders.

Main results:

1. A Game Meat Value Chain Analysis was done and recommendations for managing the game meat supply chain have been consistently provided to relevant government agencies. Through that, an analyses report was written and a species database created.
2. A Disease Risk Analysis was conducted. This showed an improved understanding of potential risks of zoonotic diseases among government agencies and other supply chain actors. Furthermore, risk reduction measures were identified that could potentially reduce associated disease risk.
3. The newly proposed meat inspection regulations established a legal framework enabling appointed meat inspectors to assess game meat before it is distributed for retail sale through registered game meat selling facilities across Tanzania. 

Further opportunities for dissemination and sharing of project insights are being pursued beyond the life of the project. 

Outcome:

The project successfully engaged over 2 million individuals through awareness campaigns and training programs. In addition, the One Health collaboration tackled critical risks within the game meat value chain by implementing a systems-based management reform, led by the national Game Meat Selling Advisory Committee. Key achievements included the revision of meat inspection regulations to encompass wild animal meat, ensuring compliance prior to sale through registered game meat selling facilities. The current situation of the game meat industry is now much more understood, and multi-sectoral partners from district level up to national policy makers are now engaged to support the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), mandated to manage the game meat selling industry, as the lead agency.

Products:

The results were disseminated to global partners and there was Radio, print and online communications and outreach, in both English and Swahili languages. 

Project report by TRAFFIC from June 2024 From Bush to Butchery: THE GAME MEAT VALUE CHAIN IN NORTHERN TANZANIA – Wildlife Trade Report from TRAFFIC

Voices from the Ground: Reducing Risks in Tanzania’s Game Meat Industry – International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade

Article on Zoonosis day: Current Zoonotic Diseases Challenges In The East Africa Region – Wildlife Trade News from TRAFFIC

Find more information and the overall learnings of the Alliance financed projects in the report “Learning to make Change Happen.- Global Lessons from 18 projects”