Sh1bn Investment Equips Tanzania to Intensify Forest Management and Conservation Efforts

Posted on : Monday , 3rd November 2025

At Dar Es Salaam a significant stride toward strengthening sustainable forestry and forest conservation, the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources has received 74 facilities worth over Sh1 billion to combat unregulated trade in forest products. The handover event, held in Dar es Salaam, marked a milestone for the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), which will use the new facilities to enhance forest monitoring and protection efforts across the country.
 

Dr. Hassan Abbas, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, noted that the equipment including vehicles, motorcycles, drones, surveillance boats, and radio communication systems will play a key role in improving the agency’s operational capacity. The donation strengthens TFS’s ability to monitor, evaluate, and enforce forest conservation laws, aligning with national environmental strategies coordinated by district councils, he said. The facilities, he added, will also assist in revenue collection with new POS machines installed across zonal offices.
 

The initiative is part of the Transformation of the Tanzania Fuel Wood Value Chain Project from 2023–2026, which carries a budget exceeding €200,000 and is scheduled for completion in November 2026. The three-year project, funded by the European Union (EU), seeks to transform the country’s dependence on fuelwood into a cleaner and more sustainable energy system. This initiative aims to drive Tanzania toward sustainable energy alternatives in response to the global climate crisis while ensuring forest conservation remains a national priority, Dr. Abbas emphasized.
 

Dr. Amani Ngusaru, Director of WWF Tanzania, highlighted that the project also includes a strong capacity-building component for forest conservators. We are training officials at district and village levels on procurement procedures, data collection, and permit issuance to ensure effective forest governance, he explained. The project covers key regions such as Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Tanga, Pwani, Mwanza, and Tabora - areas that contribute most to fuelwood production and consumption. Moreover, the newly installed radio communication systems will enhance coordination and monitoring across the Western, Eastern, Northern, and Lake Zones.
 

The initiative, jointly implemented by the Government of Tanzania, WWF Tanzania, the Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative, and the Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team (LEAT), reflects a strong collaboration between public institutions and conservation partners. Together, they aim to promote clean energy solutions while ensuring sustainable management of Tanzania’s forest resources - a key step in balancing environmental protection with community development.
 

Prof. Dos Santos Silayo, Conservation Commissioner at TFS, expressed gratitude to the EU for its continued support and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustainable forestry. We intend to fully utilize these facilities to ensure responsible and regulated practices throughout the forest products value chain, he said. With these new resources and partnerships, Tanzania is poised to strengthen its position as a regional leader in sustainable forest management and responsible wood value chain transformation.