ACTIVITIES AT NJOMBE
At Njombe region we were accompanied by Mr. Mwanyika, and we held interviews with the Chairperson of the investors involved with tree planting in village land . Then we visited the market where planks (Timber) are collected from various villages and then sold for transportation to their destinations outside Njombe region including Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Mwanza regions and beyond the national boundaries especially Kenya. At this collection centre, we held a brief interview with an entrepreneur lady (also a teacher) who was involved in a small scale timber business.
ACTIVITIES AT IRINGA
On 30th March the team travelled to Njombe region via Iringa region. At Iringa we visited Forestry Development Trust (FDT) and introduced the timber rush project and held discussions with staff of FDT. These staff were Simon Milledge (Trust Director) and two training coordinators namely Shukrani Biseko and Hamisi Iddi Malinga, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager Mr. Tom Hilton.
Among others, the FDT team provided us with a brief overview of their organization and its functions. From Iringa region we travelled to Njombe region and along the way we stopped observed eucalyptus and pines demonstration plots that have been established by the Forestry Development Trust.