Welcome to FORVAC
Forest-Based Value Chains
Forestry and Value Chains Development programme (FORVAC) increases economic, social and environmental benefits from forests and woodlands whilst tackling deforestation. By working closely with local enterprises and communities, FORVAC will develop forest-based value chains thereby inducing growth in local economies, while at the same time fostering local ownership of the forests. It also supports government institutions in developing their legal and policy framework to improve forest governance and promote sustainable forest resources management. The 330,000 beneficiaries range from individuals, communities, and traders to private companies in the vast regions Tanga, Lindi and Ruvuma and beyond.
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Forestry and Value Chains Development Programme - FORVAC's cover photo
FORVAC is not only aimed at strengthening Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) and value chains, it also aims at investing in the education of the next generation of professionals and decision makers so that they are skilled in CBFM value chain related work.In this regard, FORVAC has cooperated with the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro and, for example, sponsored and nurtured 10 promising Master’s students who undertook research in FORVAC CBFM sites on subjects related to forest products value chains/market systems and business development relevant to CBFM. This nurturing has been fruitful, with the students producing excellent dissertations that help improve and shape practice based on peer reviewed evidence. One of the supported students, Angela A. Mlawa, got her dissertation-based article published in the International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management 8 (2), June 2023: 70-77. She studied the contribution of village land forest reserves (VLFRs) in livelihood improvement, and the results indicate that both timber and honey production significantly contribute to the livelihood of producers and some to the broader community. This suggests that forest products have the potential to greatly enhance the livelihood of forest-dependent communities.The article is available online
Village land forest reserves (VLFRs) are recognized as an important base for rural community development. This study used timber and honey production activities to assess the actual contribution of th...
Innovativeness, problem-solving skills and creativity are always advantage when being an entrepreneur, and we have found many of these skills among the 1,500 entrepreneurs FORVAC has supported. However, they still often have specific challenges to overcome. These business owners have partly shared the same challenges, especially related to bookkeeping, product quality and marketing, which FORVAC has tried to help them solve. But, the final success of those around 180 supported micro-businesses depends on the entrepreneurs themselves and their motivation.Sometimes we are only able to admire the imagination of the supported entrepreneurs such as the FORVAC Cluster Coordinator, Petro Masolwa, in the photo, when he saw a bee harvesting uniform made from locally available recycled materials (used clothes and plastics) by beekeepers in Nyasa District.
FORVAC is now also on Instagram! You can find us by typing forvac_tz #forvac #forestvaluechain #sustainabledevelopment #miomboforest #sustainableforestry #communityforestry
The Miombo forests supported by FORVAC are not only an important source of sustainably produced wood products, but also produce a whole range of Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). For example, the age old link between beekeepers and forests has been an important one in many countries including Tanzania, and in FORVAC supported sites, with community control of forests and bee reserves, this offers extra protection against threats to the forest. The production of tasty sought after Miombo honey, also provides an income for community members, an additional incentive to keep the forest and build on and strengthen that age old link.🐝🍯
Publications
Technical Reports
FORVAC aims to provide you with detailed Technical Reports that will help you to explore more about Forest Programme in Tanzania.
Administration documents
FORVAC adminstration documents will help you understand more on how the programme works to empower the local forest community.
Posters
FORVAC posters will help you understand more about the activities carried out in various clusters in Tanzania.