What is REGROW?
Tanzania’s Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth project, ‘REGROW’ (the ‘Project’), financed through a $150 million equivalent credit from the International Development Association (IDA), 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.
The Bank's financing for the Project was suspended in April 2024 due to shortcomings related to the initial steps by the Government of Tanzania (Government) in a planned resettlement process, which has since been stopped. The Bank was also concerned about an inadequate grievance redress mechanism and the lack of a system for reporting incidents or concerns that could adversely affect villagers. At that time of suspension, 88 percent of the total $150 million commitment (equivalent to $125 million) had already been disbursed. The Project was subsequently closed in November 2024 at the request of the Government. Nonetheless, the Bank understands that the Government may be completing infrastructure works commenced under the Project using its own resources.
Background
REGROW 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. These include significant progress in building infrastructure that underpins wildlife research and tourism such as airstrips, hostels for students, administrative office buildings, as well as the procurement of equipment such as loaders to maintain this infrastructure in the future. The achievements in strengthening alternative livelihoods and job creation have also been substantial. 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 557 livelihood projects, including 277 crop farming/horticulture projects and 76 livestock keeping projects.
Additionally, 409 Village Game Scouts have completed their studies, with many now managing wildlife incidents and conducting conservation awareness meetings. REGROW has also supported 561 students in completing their studies, with 16 graduates now employed in tourism and conservation sectors.
REGROW has also 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 with improved 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 Bank has a stringent due diligence process that seeks to ensure that the projects it finances avoid and mitigate possible adverse impacts on local communities and the environment. In particular, the Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies were applied to the Project. (For more recent projects, the World Bank follows the Environmental and Social Framework, an even stronger set of environmental and social standards).
The complaints
In April 2023, the Bank learned of the Tanzanian authorities' plans to resettle villages located inside Ruaha National Park, and reports that Park law enforcement authorities had been using excessive force towards communities living in and near the Park.
On July 20, 2023, the Inspection Panel— 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— 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.
A second request to the Inspection Panel from the same individuals was received on May 3, 2024, with new information that reportedly indicated the imminent planned eviction of households within the Park.
The Inspection Panel investigation and next steps
The Inspection Panel (Panel), which is part of the World Bank’s Accountability Mechanism, is authorized by the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank to carry out independent investigations into Bank-financed projects to assess the extent of the Bank’s compliance with its operational policies and procedures. Once the Board authorizes the Panel to conduct an investigation and the Panel shares its investigation report with the Board, the Bank has an opportunity to share a response to this report with the Board. This response includes the Bank’s proposed actions to address the Panel’s findings of non-compliance. It also reflects consultations with the Requesters. The Board then considers the Panel’s report and the Bank’s response, including the proposed Management Action Plan designed to respond to the findings of the investigation. These findings, responses, and deliberations are confidential until the Board has an opportunity to consider them. After that, all these documents become public.
This Panel process is currently underway for REGROW. The Panel has completed its investigation, and the World Bank is reviewing and preparing a response to the Panel’s findings. We are also working closely with the Government, which has committed to addressing these findings in a Management Action Plan currently under preparation. This plan will be informed by consultations with the Requesters and affected communities (through the channels facilitated by their civil society advisors) before it is submitted to the Board for consideration.
Meanwhile, the Government has informed the World Bank that it currently has no intention of resettling communities in the foreseeable future, and they may continue exercising their usual livelihoods activities in their villages. In addition, the Government is engaging with communities in and around Ruaha National Park with the goal of providing them with stepped-up support. The Government, with support from the World Bank, is exploring possible new interventions to support alternative livelihoods, jobs, and climate resilience, and to provide communities with social services, including legal information to access the justice system.
Stakeholder engagement
The World Bank has made significant efforts to engage with the Requesters through their advisor, a US-based civil society organization, by means of virtual discussions and emails. In addition, engagements are ongoing with the communities in and around Ruaha National Park, with representatives of the Rufiji Basin Water Board (RBWB), as well as with regional and local government authorities in connection with possible additional support to these community members.
Last Updated: Jan 22, 2025