By Alfred Zacharia
The President of Finland, Mr. Alexander Stubb, has officially launched a new forest conservation project worth €20 million in Tanzania.
The Forestry, Land Use, and Value Chains Development in Tanzania (FORLAND) project aims to promote forest conservation, improve land use, and support the development of forest-based products.
It also focuses on improving the lives of people living near forests, creating economic opportunities, and encouraging tree planting.
The launch event took place on May 16, 2025, at the Botanical Garden in Dar es Salaam.
President Stubb planted a tree and spoke about the strong relationship between Tanzania and Finland in forest conservation.
“I believe the tree I planted will grow just like the partnership between our two countries,” said President Stubb.
He also said that forests cover 70 percent of Finland’s land. Forest products from Finland are known for their high quality and strength.
Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Amb. Dr. Pindi Chana, said the FORLAND project will be implemented in southern Tanzania.
She explained that the project will help communities near forests manage their resources better and increase their income.
“Finland has always been a strong partner in supporting our forest sector,” said Dr. Chana.
She mentioned several projects supported by Finland over the years.
These include the East Usambara Forest Management Plan (1988–2002), forestry colleges in Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia (1999–2005), and the National Forestry Programme (2005–2010).
Finland also supported the Private Forestry and Carbon Trading Project (2010–2011) and has been involved in forest monitoring in Tanzania since 2009 through the NAFORMA program.
Also present at the event were Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Amb. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, the Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr. Hassan Abbasi, as well as diplomats and senior officials from both countries.