The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has adopted a five-year corporate strategic plan and a 25-year long-term plan aimed at protecting its ecosystems, strengthening tourism and supporting community development.
The plans are expected to provide a long-term framework for balancing conservation with economic activities and the interests of communities, while safeguarding the natural resources that support Tanzania's tourism industry.
The chairman of the NCAA Board of Directors, retired Chief of Defence Forces General Venance Mabeyo, said the two plans reflected the importance of protecting the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Pololeti Game Reserve.
He made the remarks during a board meeting in Arusha, which is reviewing the authority's performance in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, covering July to September.
General Mabeyo said conservation efforts in the two areas should be strengthened because their ecological importance extends beyond their boundaries, contributing to the survival of other protected areas.
He said protecting these ecosystems was also an economic priority because tourism activities supported employment for Tanzanians and generated revenue for the government.
"Conservation and the ecology of Ngorongoro and Pololeti Game Reserve must be protected by all means," he said, emphasising their contribution to the country's tourism sector and national development.
He added that revenue generated from visitors helps the government improve social services and finance development initiatives.
His remarks highlight the need to ensure that tourism growth does not undermine the natural resources on which the sector depends.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Commissioner Abdul-Razaq Badru said the authority had prepared the plans in line with various government policy documents and development guidelines.
He said the strategic framework takes into account the National Development Vision 2050 and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Election Manifesto for 2025–2030.
The five-year Corporate Strategic Plan will guide the authority's priorities and implementation of its activities, while the 25-year Long-Term Plan provides a broader direction for conservation and development over the coming decades.
The plans place conservation, tourism and community development at the centre of the authority's long-term priorities, reflecting the importance of protecting natural heritage while ensuring its contribution to the country's economy.