Forests are the lifeblood of Tanzania, covering nearly 40% of the country and providing essential resources for millions of people. We sit down with Johary Kachwamba, Communication Lead for Tanzania Forest Services Agents, to explore how the country is implementing its groundbreaking National Forest and Landscape Restoration Strategy.

The conversation reveals Tanzania's innovative approach to fulfilling its AFR100 commitment to restore 5.2 million hectares of forest landscape. Rather than treating this as merely an environmental obligation, Tanzania has designed a strategy that simultaneously addresses ecological restoration, rural economic development, and community empowerment. At its core, the approach recognizes that lasting restoration requires diverse stakeholders working together with measurable outcomes.

What makes Tanzania's strategy particularly fascinating is how it creates virtuous cycles between conservation and economic opportunity. The government has trained over 5,000 beekeepers and distributed more than 1,000 beehives, creating livelihoods that depend on healthy forests. Meanwhile, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has personally championed a nationwide tree-planting initiative tied to her birthday. We learn about real success stories, including a farmer who now benefits from both honey production and eco-tourism, with family members serving as forest guides. This demonstrates how thoughtfully designed restoration can transform rural economies while healing degraded landscapes.

Join us to discover how Tanzania is balancing ecological functionality with economic growth, and how this approach could serve as a model for forest restoration across Africa and beyond. Have you witnessed examples of conservation and economic development working hand-in-hand in your community? We'd love to hear your stories!