By The Respondent Reporter
The government, through the Tanzania Forest Fund (TaFF), is scaling up efforts to improve forest conservation outcomes by strengthening the capacity of grant beneficiaries to manage projects more effectively and accountably.
The move signals a growing emphasis on linking environmental protection with community livelihoods, particularly through forestry and beekeeping projects that support the country’s green economy agenda.
The training programme for new beneficiaries of the 2025/26 financial year brought together project coordinators, forestry officers and beekeeping officers from more than 40 districts, reflecting the nationwide scope of the initiative.
Acting TaFF Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tuli Salum Msuya, said the training is intended to address key implementation challenges, especially in financial management, contract compliance and project reporting.
“We are building the capacity of beneficiaries to ensure they manage grant funds properly, implement projects as agreed, and provide accurate progress reports,” she said, noting that stronger oversight is essential to maximise the impact of public funds.
She said the government continues to prioritise the forestry sector under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, recognising its role in environmental conservation, economic productivity and tourism development through sustainable forest management.
In the 2025/26 financial year, TaFF approved 137 projects out of more than 400 applications submitted, indicating rising demand for funding in environmental and conservation initiatives.
TaFF Head of Projects and Planning, Mr Johnny Richard Mbwambo, said the fund has so far disbursed about Sh70 billion to support forestry and beekeeping projects nationwide.
“These investments have enabled the establishment of tree plantations in more than 290 farms and strengthened conservation across large forest areas,” he said.
He acknowledged that earlier phases of the programme faced challenges related to weak financial management and reporting, which affected implementation efficiency.
“Some beneficiaries previously faced difficulties in managing funds and reporting progress. That is why we have introduced pre-implementation training to improve accountability and project performance,” he said.
Beneficiaries said the training has enhanced their understanding of project management and proper use of grant funds, while stressing the importance of collaboration to ensure sustainability.
Currently, about 79 groups are benefiting from TaFF-funded projects, many of which combine conservation with income-generating activities such as beekeeping and sustainable agriculture.
Experts say strengthening capacity at the community level is critical for ensuring that conservation investments deliver long-term environmental and economic benefits.
