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What is REGROW?

°Õ²¹²Ô³ú²¹²Ô¾±²¹¡¯²õ&²Ô²ú²õ±è; (the ¡®Project¡¯), financed through a $150 million equivalent credit from the International Development Association (Å·ÃÀÈÕb´óƬ), was approved in September 2017 with the aim of improving the management of natural resources and tourism assets in priority areas of southern Tanzania and to increase access to alternative livelihood activities for targeted communities. Wildlife-based tourism is a major component of Tanzania¡¯s economy, contributing more than one quarter of the country¡¯s foreign exchange earnings in 2019.

 had four components: strengthening management and improving infrastructure in priority Protected Areas; strengthening alternative livelihoods for targeted communities in proximity to the priority Protected Areas; strengthening landscape management and infrastructure investments in and upstream of the Ruaha National Park (RUNAPA); and project management.

While the Project faced challenges, it also achieved some important results as below.

Livelihoods and job creation

• The Community Conservation Banks (COCOBA) initiative has made significant progress, establishing 565 groups with a total of 11,633 members, of which 7,802 are female. At the time of the Project closure, these groups were implementing 153 livelihood projects, about half of which were crop farming/horticulture projects, about 15% livestock keeping projects. COCOBA community members received training in financial management, record keeping and business development skills among others, improving their ability to start and manage their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
• REGROW supported 561 students in completing their studies, with 16 graduates now employed in tourism and conservation sectors.
• 409 Village Game Scouts have completed their training, where they helped manage 513 incidences of human-wildlife conflict in 40 villages. They have also conducted 135 conservation awareness meetings for communities living near the national parks. 60 of them have been employed by other relevant institutions such as the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority and district councils.
• 1,050 students from 60 villages have received scholarships under the project, 40% of whom were girls, and earned degrees in tourism, conservation, and other sectors, improving their employability.

Infrastructure and Water Management

• The Project financed infrastructure that underpins wildlife research and tourism, such as airstrips, hostels for students, administrative office buildings, and the procurement of equipment, such as loaders, to maintain this infrastructure in the future.
• REGROW helped rehabilitate irrigation systems to encourage more efficient use of water by the communities. The most advanced scheme, at Madibira, generated direct employment for 407 people and has helped 3,200 farmers improve productivity by increasing water availability.

However, several serious incidents in one of the parks supported by REGROW (Ruaha National Park) came to the Bank's attention, including through reports from communities.  The Bank takes very seriously allegations of harm or the potential for harm in the projects it finances, and it has responded to these incidents accordingly.

The Complaints
On July 20, 2023, the ¡ª an independent mechanism for people and communities who believe that they have been, or are likely to be, adversely affected by World Bank-funded projects (the Panel)¡ª registered a Request for Inspection regarding REGROW. The Request was submitted by two individuals residing in the vicinity of Ruaha National Park.

The complaint alleged the eviction of residents from villages within Ruaha National Park, along with reports of excessive use of force and cattle seizures by Park authorities. These actions raised concerns about REGROW¡¯s compliance with the World Bank's policies.

On April 18, 2024, the Bank suspended disbursements under REGROW because the Government had initiated preparatory activities for the resettlement of communities residing within Ruaha National Park without following the requirements of the Project¡¯s Resettlement Policy Framework. In addition, the Bank noted shortcomings in the establishment of an adequate grievance redress mechanism and the need for a system to report on incidents in the Project area. The Project was subsequently closed on November 6, 2024, at the request of the Government. 

During the suspension of disbursement, on May 3, 2024, the Panel received a second request from the same individuals with new information that reportedly indicated the imminent eviction of households within the Park.

The Inspection Panel Investigation and Next Steps
The Panel completed its investigation into REGROW in September 2024 and shared its investigation report with the Requesters to enable them to participate in Management-led consultations on corrective actions. The Panel¡¯s investigation found the World Bank had not complied fully with several Bank policies. In particular, it noted that the Bank had not adequately identified and addressed risks related to the potential resettlement of communities remaining inside the project area; conflicts resulting from the enforcement of park access restrictions; and the effects of enforcing park regulations on livelihood activities. As a result, the Panel found the relevant safeguards instruments were not applied in a proper and timely manner.

In response to this investigation, the Bank prepared a Management Action Plan (MAP) to address the Panel¡¯s findings and support the communities in and around Ruaha National Park. This MAP has been approved by the World Bank¡¯s Executive Directors. The Government has also committed to working with the Bank to implement the MAP. The MAP includes the following measures:

1. Resettlement: The Government has informed the Bank that it currently has no intention of resettling communities in the foreseeable future, and that the communities may continue exercising their usual livelihoods activities.
2. Law enforcement and conflicts: Alongside the Government, the Bank has established a system that allows citizens and project-affected people to promptly report concerns and incidents. The Bank remains committed to open and continued engagement with all project-affected people as well as other stakeholders.
3. Livelihood restrictions: The Bank is working with the Government to provide support to the communities in and around Ruaha National Park by addressing potential livelihood and water use challenges arising from restrictions of access to the park, through two new community-driven projects, as outlined in the MAP. As part of these projects, the Government is currently consulting with communities to identify and develop investment activities that will include support for additional livelihood opportunities, job creation, and climate resilience, as well as the provision of social services. Additionally, legal information will be provided to help communities access the justice system.  

In addition, in the next few months, the government will convene a workshop with development partners, including the Bank, to discuss good international practice on park management. This will further inform policies and practices applicable to park management in Tanzania, including best practices relating to conflict avoidance and management, and community engagement, and benefit sharing.

The Government of Tanzania is committed to implementing the foregoing projects, and the Bank will support and supervise that implementation as part of its MAP.

Lessons Learned
As an institution that is focused on fighting poverty and enabling people to improve their lives, we are committed to continually improving our own systems and practices. Learning from this case, we have a renewed focus on working with governments to strengthen processes to identify, avoid, and minimize harm to people and the environment.

We are reviewing the Bank¡¯s pipeline to identify potential projects supporting national parks and protected areas, in order to assess whether they may pose risks similar to those identified in REGROW and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place from the outset. In East and Southern Africa, the Bank has already found opportunities to strengthen risk mitigation measures, including strengthening GRMs, incident reporting, and enhanced due diligence.

Last Updated: Apr 30, 2025