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The Forestry and Value Chains Development Programme in Tanzania comes to an end.

Cowater International recently completed the implementation of the Forestry and Value Chains Development (FORVAC) Programme (2018-2024). FORVAC was delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA Finland) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania (MNRT) (Forest and Beekeeping Division) and builds on a long collaboration between the Government of Tanzania and the Government of Finland in the Tanzanian forestry sector (learn more here: https://forvac.or.tz/).

FORVAC was designed to strengthen Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) over natural forests in Tanzania, with a particular focus on helping communities generate significant benefits and capture more value from sustainable forest use and forest product value chains. The Programme operated in three clusters in Tanga, Ruvuma and Lindi, supporting CBFM strengthening, forest product value addition, as well as institutional capacity building, communications and policy support at the national level. During its implementation, FORVAC operated in 128 villages and benefited an estimated 330,000 persons, consisting of local communities, household members and individuals in eight districts, as well as private companies and local traders, such as sawmills, honey processing and marketing companies, research institutes and NGOs.

CBFM focused on addressing the legacy of top-down government control approach over natural forests, which had been established during colonial times. This exclusionary approach alienated communities from their customary forests; the forests in effect became de facto open access, subject to unsustainable practices. Without legally recognised control and access to legal forest benefits, the communities had little motivation to work with the government to protect the forest. The intention of devolving control of the forests back to communities aimed to re-establish the bond between communities and forests, incentivizing community stewardship.

Stewardship over the forest does come at a cost. There are significant community costs associated with the protection and management of forests, as well as indirect opportunity costs of maintaining a forest and not converting it to other land uses. On the other hand, sustainably managed forests have significant untapped economic potential, both in terms of timber and non-timber forest products, which can benefit the livelihoods of communities, especially if communities were capacitated to capture more value from forest product value chains. This is the key role that FORVAC played.

FORVAC promoted the “helping the forest pays its way” model, by working with communities to maximize returns from sustainable forest use and value addition.

Key project achievements cover two major areas: i) supporting community-based sustainable forest management and ii) improving livelihoods based on sustainable forest use and value addition.

• 460,518 ha of natural forest on sites supported by FORVAC Programme are under community forest management plans that are based on sustainable management principles, including a stipulation of the sustainable offtake (Annual Allowable Cut).

• Deforestation rates were 7 times lower in forests under community-based forest management than in other forests in the area. FORVAC-supported Village Land Forest Reserves (VLFRs) with the highest income from sustainable timber harvesting witnessed almost no deforestation.

• The percentage of income poor households participating in FORVAC decreased from 33% to 21,6 % over the life of the project.

• 63 % of households reported social services had improved since FORVAC. These services were largely funded by revenues generated by sustainable timber sales. With a significant amount of funds going into community services, it means the benefits from the timber value chain were widely distributed and appreciated within the community, including by women and the vulnerable.

• The share of community members deriving financial benefits from the forest increased from 9% to 27% in participating communities.

• More than 4 million Euros (9 billion Tanzania shillings) were generated through sustainable timber enterprises supported by FORVAC.

• Around 1500 entrepreneurs were supported.

• Standing timber sales far exceeded the target, and the sales of lesser-known timber species exceeded the target.

Building on the successes of FORVAC, Cowater International is looking forward to continue to engage communities and entrepreneurs in Tanzania to support sustainable, income-generating opportunities in the forestry and natural resources sectors.