Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Today the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) has signed a technical cooperation program agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to support the country to finalise the review of its National Forestry Policy. The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Dar es Salaam between the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Major General Gaudence Milanzi, and FAO Country Representative, Fred Kafeero.

Speaking at the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Milanzi said that FAO’s support was timely and that it has come at a time when the country was facing a number of challenges in managing its forest resources and was in the process of reviewing its policy to address them. “The current policy is too old. From 1998 when it was passed so many developments have occurred in the country and across the globe and which necessitated inclusion in the policy,” he said.

According to him, between 1990 and 2015 Tanzania lost an average of 17 percent of its forests a situation that he described as alarming. “Besides, the country also faces other challenges such as low capacity for proper utilisation of forest resources, obsolete technology, low investment despite being such an important sector,” Maj. Gen. Milanzi said adding: “FAO is an important stakeholder and through this agreement, we believe they will help us to address these issues.

Under the agreement, FAO was going to provide technical support to the tune of Tshs. 280/-million to Tanzania to enable it finalise the review of its 1998 Policy.

On his side, Mr Kafeero said that FAO is a technical agency which provides technical support and assistance through technical cooperation programmes and that it was happy to help Tanzania to finalise the review of its policy for the betterment of the country. 

“We’ve supported many countries in similar areas. Through this agreement, we’ll bring in international experts and galvanise those within the country to ensure that the policy not only takes into account developments in the international arena but also helps to address local issues,” he said.

This will be a participatory process bringing together key stakeholders to consider larger global issues that affect the forest sector not only in Tanzania but also at a global level such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), The Paris Climate Change Agreement, he added. Mr Kafeero said that forestry was among the key mandates of FAO since they are very important for ensuring food security and nutrition, besides contributing to the economy and environment by providing livelihoods to the people.