Beneficiaries of the Tanzania Forest Fund (TaFF) in Tabora have been urged to use the grant funds responsibly to improve community livelihoods while supporting sustainable forest conservation.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of TaFF, Dr. Tuli Msuya, made the call during a training session for over 10 beekeeping groups that have received funding from the national fund.
“The grants are public resources and must be invested in projects that deliver real benefits to communities, especially those that protect and develop our forest resources,” Dr. Tuli said.
“TaFF expects funds to be used according to the grant agreements. Misuse of these resources will not be tolerated.”he added
Since its establishment 14 years ago, TaFF has disbursed TZS 57.5 billion to support 1,245 projects nationwide. Of this, TZS 3.1 billion has been allocated to 74 projects across seven districts in Tabora.
The funded initiatives include the construction of a lecture hall at the Beekeeping Training Institute (BTI) and three honey processing factories in Tabora, Sikonge, and Nzega.
These facilities are expected to increase the value of honey products, boost local incomes, and strengthen the region’s beekeeping sector.
John Malemo, a TaFF training facilitator, stressed the importance of accountability. “Beneficiaries must submit timely reports on fund usage to ensure smooth release of future grants. Transparency and accountability are critical to sustaining these investments,” he said.
Training participants expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and TaFF for empowering them with knowledge and skills.
They pledged to apply the training to enhance honey production, aiming to position Tabora as the nation’s leading honey-producing region.