ABSTRACT
Forestry investment and timber trade in the United Republic of Tanzania, as with many other African nations, arguably offers greater potential to stimulate economic growth and reduce rural poverty now than at any period in recent history. In the case of indigenous hardwood exports, a supportive legal framework and transformations in the ‘three Rs’ (resources, routing and retailing) have substantially boosted trade opportunities. Rich in resources, Tanzania has recently become potentially wealthier as the country was found to be supporting wide tracts of timber species, highly prized in the international marketplace. The routing of timber from forest to sawmill to port and beyond has been greatly facilitated by improved road and port infrastructure. Dramatic growth in market demand and purchasing power from China (and other markets such as the European Union and the US) has transformed global timber trade dynamics and provided the framework for retailing Tanzania’s valuable hardwoods to external markets. Despite this golden opportunity for the timber trade to generate equitable and broad-based benefits, expectations have not been met.
