Global Environment Fund established tree kernel center valued at USD 210,000 in Tanzania’s Tabora region
The facility will be jointly operated by the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the Dryland Sustainable Landscape Impact Program.
Black News 
The Global Environment Fund has forked over 550 million/- for the establishment of a modern tree kernels production center and preservation bank in the Kaliua District of Tabora Region.
The tree seedlings storage facility known as ‘TFS-Kaliua Tree Seed Centre,’ is aimed at boosting conservation and restoration of indigenous forests in western Tanzania.
The facility will be jointly operated by the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the Dryland Sustainable Landscape Impact Program.
Targeting the restoration and preservation of mostly the Miombo woodland species, endemic to the Tanzania’s western zone, the facility will handle species like Brachystegia spp, Julbernardia globiflora, Pterocarpus spp, Uapaca kirkiana, and Combretum molle.
The Kaliua District Forest Conservator (DFC), Sadock Gobanya, said the centre will play a vital role in restoring natural forests and improving environmental conservation efforts across the western regions and neighboring areas in the Green Value Chain Development.
The western zone, comprising Kigoma, Tabora, Katavi and Shinyanga regions, has in recent years experienced overwhelming loss of natural forest cover as local residents indulge in massive logging and deforestation for charcoal production and agricultural expansion, particularly tobacco farming.
“Apart from producing quality seeds for indigenous tree species, the centre will also serve as a training hub where forestry experts will educate communities on proper tree-growing practices and the importance of conserving natural forests,” he said.
As it happens, the initiatives are also targeting to encourage mass planting of indigenous trees for environment conservation throughout the western zone and future climate resilience.
“Despite their importance, indigenous trees have continued to disappear even as more tree plantations come up. This centre is therefore among the strategic interventions aimed at reversing environmental degradation,” he added.
The facility has been equipped with modern cloud-connected seed processing technologies, featuring three key sections dedicated to seed drying, extraction, testing, and storage.
“With the advanced technologies installed at the facility, seeds can be safely stored for more than three years without losing their germination capacity,” he explained.
As carbon trading continues to emerge as a promising economic sector in Tanzania, Gobanya urged residents in the western zone to utilize the centre as a gateway to benefit from carbon market opportunities.
So far, the western zone areas seen potential for forest-based carbon trading includes Igombe River Forest Reserve.
