Wannafunzi mbalimbali wa shule za msingi mkoani Njombe akipeperusha bendera za Finland na Tanzania kwa kuashiria uzinduzi rasmi wa programu ya panda miti kibiashara (PFP).
Mwakilishi wa Balozi wa Finland nchini Tanzania, Mikko Leppanen na Naibu wa Waziri wa Maliasili na Utalii, Mahmoud Mgimwa akizindua rasmi kwa pamoja programu ya panda miti kiabiashara mjini Njombe. (Picha na Friday Simbaya)
Mwakilishi wa Balozi wa Finland nchini Tanzania, Mikko Leppanen akimwagilia maji miti baada ya kupanda.
Naibu waziri wa maliasilia na utalii, mahmoud Mgimwa (MB) akimwagilia maji miti baada ya kupanda.
By Friday Simbaya, NJOMBE
The Representative of the Ambassador of Finland to Tanzania Mikko Leppanen has assured people living near tree plantation areas in the southern highlands not to fear about losing their arable lands to tree plantation program.
He said that there is a need to educate local about the benefits of forests so that they come out of fear of losing their arable lands to tree plantation program going around in the southern highlands areas.
Leppanen made the statement on Thursday on the side line of the just ended colourful official launching of private forest program (PFP) in Njombe region.
He said that Tanzania has abundant areas suitable for forest plantations compared to Finland but all what is needed to encourage people to establish more forest plantations.
He pointed out that Tanzania has good national forest policy of 1998 but she needs to improve on village land use plan as basis that will help reduce land conflicts.
He said Tanzania has a good number of tree growers compared to Finland but the only challenge is land use plan.
“If forest plantations are utilized properly it will help reduce poverty and improve their livelihood, he said.”
The program is jointly implemented by government of Finland through the ministry foreign affairs and Tanzanian government through the ministry of natural resources and tourism which is being implemented in Iringa, Njombe and Morogoro regions.
On his part, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Mahmoud Mgimwa (MP) who was the guest speaker during the official launching of private forest program (PFP) dubbed as ‘Panda Miti Kibiashara’ literately means plant trees commercially in Njombe region.
He said that Finland has been supporting Tanzania in various programs but mostly in forestry.
For instance, Finland has played a big part in the supporting financially in the building up of new national forest policy of 1998, forest act and national forests and bees program.
He said that the government of Tanzania and that of Finland are jointly implementing the program of planting trees commercially in Southern Highlands especially in Njombe, Iringa and Kilombero district in Morogoro, because people in those areas have the motive of planting trees already.
The director of a Private Forestry Program (PFP) Dr Maria Tham said there is a need to improve the practice of tending, harvesting and regenerating forests in the country in order to make it a profitable business for the future generation.
She pointed out that wood production is a global business and Tanzania has a competitive advantage to benefit from the business due to political stability.
She pointed out that the PFP program aims at increasing rural income in the Southern Highland areas which will later lead to reduction in poverty and inequality.
On her part, Njombe District Commissioner, Sara Dumba who was acting regional commissioner, said the Njombe has planted 43 million tree seedlings last year and she thanked the PFP program for helping speeding up planting spirit in the district and region at large.
She said before the coming of this program her district was facing the challenge of lack of expertise but now the PFP program has come and the problem is solved.
She said other challenge is problem false fire and tree growers to harvest trees prematurely but PFP program has encourages people to involve other income generated activities while waiting for the trees to mature.
"Tree growers must make sure that they make some firebreaks around their plantations to prevent fire burning the trees, as one way of fighting against forest fires," she said.
"Tree growers must make sure that they make some firebreaks around their plantations to prevent fire burning the trees, as one way of fighting against forest fires," she said.
She urged the tree growers and other stakeholders in Njombe Region to join the tree growers associations (TGAs) so that the government can empower them and reminded them to plant more trees as possible.
In the last planting season Njombe region has managed to plant about 43 million tree seedlings.
She urged people to plant as many tress as possible and make use of forest plantations effectively hence income poverty reduction and economic development.
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