Govt directs TFS to strengthen forest protection

DODOMA: THE government has directed the newly inaugurated Advisory Board of the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) to ensure agency staff perform their duties with professionalism, discipline and integrity, following the transition from a civilian to a paramilitary management system for natural resource protection.

Speaking at the board’s inauguration in Dodoma over the weekend, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, said the reforms aim to establish a stronger, more effective enforcement structure capable of combating criminal activities that threaten forests and wildlife.

Dr Kijaji noted that TFS has already taken the lead in implementing the new system by providing paramilitary style training to officers at all levels.

“It is crucial to develop indicators that measure community acceptance. Even if we contribute significantly to the national treasury, poor public perception means we are failing,” she said, stressing that the agency’s image depends on how employees treat each other and interact with the community.

She said Tanzania is endowed with extensive forest and beekeeping resources that are central to national development.

Forests support key sectors such as water, agriculture, tourism, livestock, industry and energy due to their ecological stabilizing role.

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“We must safeguard and sustainably manage these resources for the benefit of present and future generations,” Dr Kijaji stressed.

Current statistics show that Tanzania’s forests cover an estimated 48.1 million hectares, equivalent to 55 per cent of the country’s land area. Of this, TFS directly manages about 12.5 million hectares, representing 30 per cent of the national forest cover.

The remainder is overseen by other conservation institutions, including Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA), Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA), and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA), as well as local governments and private owners.

“With this management structure, the scale of challenges is clearly significant,” she noted.

Research indicates that human-driven pressures and poor management have accelerated deforestation, which increased from 372,816 hectares in 2015 to 469,420 hectares in 2017, an alarming 25.9 per cent rise in just two years.

“TFS, under this board, must strengthen conservation efforts and collaborate closely with all relevant authorities, especially the Prime Minister’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), to curb this level of destruction,” Dr Kijaji said.