Tanzania expresses growing concern over the escalating rate of deforestation within the country and it is launching measures that will combat the crisis.
Despite Tanzania being known for having one of the largest tree covers in the world, human activities are rapidly depleting these valuable resources. Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Majaliwa revealed that deforestation has increased from over 370,000 hectares in 2015 to almost 47,000 hectares in 2022.
The disruption is caused by human activities such as clearing of land for agriculture and livestock keeping unregulated fires and other unsustainable uses of forest resources. These acts becomes a damaging virus ecosystems to the Great Ruaha, WAMI River Basin, and other parts of the country.
Compounded by approximately 3% population growth rate, communities are resorting to cutting down trees for firewood and charcoal production due to the growing demand, even as designated community forests struggle to keep up.
Tanzania’s annual deforestation rate of approximately 1%, equivalent to 400,000 hectares, is twice the world average of 0.5% per year. The implications extend beyond environmental concerns and have economic ramifications. Deforestation could cost the country’s economy up to 3.5 billion in a decade’s time.
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The importance of conservation cannot be overstated. Safeguarding Tanzania’s surviving tropical forests and replanting trees could significantly mitigate the impact of climate change.
Deforestation results directly in climate change because as we know, it contributes to 15% of all greenhouse gases. And the increasing levels of greenhouse gases is what results in extreme weather patterns, extreme temperatures, soil erosion, and nothing is being done to protect our soil after it’s being deforested.
One of the expert researcher said.
As forests are cleared to make way for farmland and degraded grassland ecosystems, illegal logging must be curbed, among other measures. Beneficial policies and regulations to protect forests is important.
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Exploring sustainable livelihood alternatives that do not involve deforestation is imperative. Additionally, reducing dependency on charcoal derived from forests is essential.
The Tanzanian government has made combatting deforestation a priorty within its development agenda. It might take time until citizens truly understand and transition to alternative forms of energy, but the government believes that once the community realizes the environmental role for play, they’ll view them as their own and understand their significance for preservation.
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