​​​Dr Philip Crafford and Mr Jesse Favis, from the Department of Forest and Wood Science, travelled to Tanzania as part of a new furniture development consulting team.  

The Tanzanian Participatory Plantation Forestry Programme (PPFP2) is largely funded by the Government of Finland and supports plantation forestry and wood industries in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. PPFP2 consulted Philip and Jesse as wood product experts from Stellenbosch University to assist with furniture manufacturing from local grown pine and Eucalyptus wood. The PPFP2 is working on a new designer furniture value chain with international designers and work alongside the South African wood products experts, who will prototype, develop, and transfer the new technology to local small and medium enterprises (SMEs). As natural forest cover continues to decline and rural poverty prevails, plantation forestry and not least, local industrial development around wood-based products, offer an opportunity for sustainable development in the true sense of the word. The Forestry and Wood Industries Training Centre at Mafinga, which has a joinery and carpentry section, will provide the base for the wood experts team to conduct furniture design and training over the next two years. 

More information on this project.   ​