$5.3 million nature-based solutions project seeks to unlock investment opportunities

The programme has now moved into implementation, with activities underway in Morogoro and Iringa regions after more than a year of preparatory work.

Initial efforts have focused on building community-led models, strengthening institutional capacity and testing how nature-based solutions can generate economic value alongside environmental benefits.

Speaking to The Citizen, the deputy country representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Tanzania, Anthony Mhagama, said the first phase of the programme had laid the groundwork for demonstrating the economic potential of nature-based approaches.

“Over the past year, the focus has been on moving from concept to implementation, working closely with communities, local and national institutions.

What we are beginning to see is how these solutions can improve productivity, strengthen resilience and create a foundation for future investment,” he said.

The Resolve–NBS programme seeks to integrate nature into economic systems, particularly in agriculture, water management and land-use planning, rather than treating conservation as a stand-alone activity.

The initiative is expected to benefit more than 30,000 people through community-driven climate adaptation programmes while also supporting the development of technical and policy frameworks for long-term adoption.

Despite growing global interest in nature-based solutions, uptake within Tanzania’s private sector has remained limited due to concerns over scalability, revenue models and the ability to translate environmental gains into financial returns.

To address the gap, the project is generating evidence and practical models that demonstrate the economic value of ecosystems.

Emerging opportunities include agroforestry, sustainable land management, water resource management and ecosystem services such as carbon storage.

The programme is also expected to support the integration of climate adaptation into national and local development frameworks as Tanzania seeks to align sustainability with economic growth.

The head of projects at the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania, Hawa Urungu, said the initiative comes at a time when businesses are increasingly under pressure to align growth strategies with resilience and sustainability goals.

“For the private sector, the significance of this project lies in its ability to connect environmental sustainability with real economic opportunity.

Businesses are increasingly looking for models that are practical, scalable and investment-ready,” she said.

“What this initiative does is begin to create that bridge, showing how nature-based solutions can contribute to productivity, risk management and long-term value creation,” she added.