The government has encouraged farmers who wish to engage in mixed farming system in the north Ruvu forest reserve to send their applications for special permits to run th activities in the area.
The move follows after the government annulled permits 5 years ago of over 300 farmers who were conducting agricultural activities in the area due to massive environment destruction.
Responding to a question posed by Kibaha Urban MP Sylivestry Koka, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Dr Hamis Kigwangalla said that the government’s decision aims to compliment the ongoing efforts and make sure that forests are protected with the surrounding communities benefiting from the natural resources.
In his basic question, Koka sought to know the government’s plan to restore its previous plan which saw at least 300 farmers conducting their agricultural activities in the forest before they were barred in 2015.
Responding, the minister said that the government has no plan to restore the project but it will be granting permits to those who would submit special applications and meet the requirements including being able to conserve the forest whilst farming through taungya system.
The taungya is a system whereby villagers and sometimes forest plantation workers are given the right to cultivate agricultural crops during the early stages of forest plantation establishment. Cultivation is often allowed to continue until trees shade crops due to canopy closure.
According to the minister, in 2000 the government in collaboration with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) came up with a project to support communities living along Ruvu North Forest Reserve through engagement in mixed farming.
“Through this at least 300 farmers in the wards of Mwendapole, Msangani, Mkuza and Kongowe benefited by getting seven acres each to conduct subsistence farming whereby food crops and trees were bother planted. But following massive disforestation and other environmental destruction, the government decided to withdraw the project to rescue the forest,” he explained.
“There is huge investment done in the forest reserve which includes plantations of more trees something which has generated over 2000 employment opportunities due to the processing factories established in the area,” the minister added.
The North Ruvu Forest Reserve is located in Kibaha and Bagamoyo districts, Coast region. The plantation is located 60 km West of Dar es Salaam. The North Ruvu forest plantation covers a total area of 31,930 ha (20,000 ha for plantation and 11,930 ha as natural forest) covering Kibaha and Bagamoyo districts both in Coast region. The Forest Reserve was gazetted under government Notice No.128 of 1978.
The North Ruvu Forest Reserve (NRFR) is one of the Coastal natural forests with high biodiversity. The indigenous tree species include Albizia petersiana, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Dichrostacys cinerea, Julbernadia spp, Brachystegia spp, Diopyros consulatae. It also harbours baboon, monkeys, rabbit, rodents, diversities of snakes and wild pigs.
