TANZANIA: THE Finnish government is eying at launching a new 4-year programme for...
promoting sustainable forestry in the country, which is among the bilateral development cooperation programmes between the two nations.Finnish Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Theresa Zitting told The ‘Daily News’ in an exclusive interview that 55bn/- (20m Euros) budget has been allocated for the programme.
She said the new programme takes over from the two currently supported programmes, Forest and Value Chain Development (FORVAC) and Private Plantation Programme, which are scheduled to end this year.
“The governments of Finland and Tanzania have a long-term collaboration, we have been working together in forestry and preservation of the environment for more than 45 years,” she noted.
The envoy said her country, in collaboration with the government of Tanzania, aims at promoting sustainable forestry, which is crucial in livelihoods improvement and environmental conservation.
The implementation of the programme is expected to involve the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) and Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
According to the envoy, Finland has extended its support to Tanzania to the development and promotion of forestry, gender equity, education, good governance and environmental preservation.
She said for years her country has been supporting the forestry sector by covering various areas in the country.
“We have been conducting these programmes in various parts of the country such as Tanga, Iringa, Lindi, Ruvuma, Njombe and many others,” she noted.
According to Ambassador Zitting, the forestry sector is one of basic pillars in the country’s economic growth, contributing 3.6 percent of the GDP. Finland supports the ecosystem services in forests and village plantations, jobs and income generation in forestry, and citizens’ capacity to adapt to climate change.
The envoy said at least 5000 jobs have been created in the forestry sector in the country in 2022.
“There is more potential in this sector, creation of jobs, supporting the country’s economic growth and contribution to the preservation of the environment,” noted Ms Zitting.
The programme, among other things, has impacted the improved forest-based livelihoods and climate resilience, improved quality of ecosystem services based on forests and village plantations, greater number of jobs in forestry and better income generation and improved capacity of citizens, administration and companies to adapt to climate change.
Among the projects that are being successfully implemented in the country are the second phase of the Participatory Plantation Forestry Programme (PFP 2): EUR 10.8million in 2019–2024, Forestry and Value Chains Development programme (FORVAC): EUR 14.15 million in 2018–2024, Support to commercial plantation forestry among small-holders: EUR 1.1 million in 2019–2023 and Finnish Environment Institute’s project on Increasing Climate Resilience of Zanzibar with Integrated Marine Management and Sustainable Blue Economy (BLUEZAN): EUR 1 million in 2023–2026.
No comments:
Post a Comment