INADES-Formation Tanzania has launched a two-years community-led tree planting campaign aimed at strengthening climate resilience and environmental conservation in Dodoma Region.
The campaign targets the planting of 50,000 tree seedlings across the districts of Bahi, Chemba, and Kondoa by the end of April 2026, with a long-term goal of planting 500,000 trees by 2027.
The initiative is part of a three-year climate change adaptation project funded by Bread for the World (BftW), a Germany-based non-governmental organization. The project seeks to empower rural communities with knowledge, skills, and practical actions to address climate change and environmental degradation.
The campaign, dubbed “Panda Mti, Tuilinde Kesho” (Plant a Tree, Protect Tomorrow), is driven by community participation and aims to enhance awareness of climate change, environmental conservation, and the critical role of trees in improving livelihoods and ecosystem resilience.
Speaking during the launch of the campaign, INADES-Formation Tanzania Managing Director, Ms. Jacqueline Nicodemus, said the initiative is designed to ensure community ownership and long-term commitment to environmental restoration and sustainable land management.
“This campaign is about increasing awareness, strengthening ownership, and ensuring that communities take the lead in restoring their environment,” said Ms. Nicodemus. “Community members and village leaders have committed themselves to planting and managing trees at household, farm, institutional, and communal levels as a long-term investment in their livelihoods.”
She added that INADES-Formation Tanzania is supporting community efforts by sourcing quality tree seedlings, including fruit trees, from the Tanzania Forest Services (TFS). The seedlings are being distributed across the three districts to ensure successful implementation of the campaign.
“We have sourced tree seedlings, including fruit trees, for Bahi, Chemba, and Kondoa districts. Through this campaign, communities will collectively plant and manage 50,000 seedlings by the end of April 2026,” Ms. Nicodemus explained.
The campaign has received strong support from local government authorities, village leaders, and community members, including primary and secondary schools.
Tree planting activities are being conducted at household, farm, institutional, and communal levels, including schools, village offices, demonstration plots, and places of worship such as churches and mosques.
According to Ms. Nicodemus, the campaign will run throughout the rainy season to ensure high survival rates and sustainability of the planted trees.
In Chemba District, the District Executive Director, Mr. Hassan Mnyikah, commended INADES-Formation Tanzania for its initiative, describing it as a vital contribution to environmental conservation and sustainable development.
“This campaign will not only support environmental protection but also ensure the future availability of timber for development projects and improve household nutrition through fruit production,” said Mr. Mnyikah. “This initiative responds directly to the call by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to promote environmental protection through tree planting.”
He emphasized the importance of community responsibility in caring for the planted trees to ensure the campaign achieves its intended goals.
In Gwandi Village, Chemba District, a total of 1,085 trees were planted, including 85 mango and orange fruit trees, with the District Executive Director actively participating in the planting exercise.
Similarly, in Bahi District, the Acting District Executive Director, Mr. Francis Kasambala, representing the Executive Director Ms. Albina Mtumbuka, praised residents for their unity and commitment to the campaign.
“Community participation is the foundation of successful environmental conservation efforts,” Mr. Kasambala noted. “The Council will continue working with stakeholders to ensure the planted trees are well cared for and thrive for the benefit of present and future generations.”
He added that the tree planting campaign aims to restore natural vegetation, protect water sources, and reduce the impacts of climate change in the district, urging households, institutions, and villages to fully participate in planting and managing trees.
Tree planting activities at the community level were conducted in Mndemu Village, Bahi District, Gwandi Village in Chemba District, and Salare Village in Kondoa District, where 2,050, 1,170, and 1,050 trees were planted respectively during the campaign launch. Following the campaign launch, a total of 6,350 trees has so far been distributed and planted in the villages of Bahi, Kondoa and Chemba districts with 1,170 trees planted in Chemba project villages, 3,057 trees planted in Kondoa villages, and 2,123 trees planted in Bahi villages.
Students have also embraced the initiative. Neema Nyambuya, a student at Gwandi Secondary School, expressed her commitment to ensuring the trees are protected and watered to support their growth.
“We will protect the trees from animals and make sure they are watered,” she said. “This initiative will benefit not only the community but also schools and other institutions.”
Residents in the participating villages welcomed the support from INADES-Formation Tanzania, noting that the campaign will help mitigate the effects of climate change, enhance food security, and contribute to national environmental protection efforts.
The tree planting campaign forms a key component of INADES-Formation Tanzania’s broader commitment to climate change adaptation, environmental conservation, and sustainable rural development in Tanzania.
Communication – INADES-Formation Tanzania
