Speaking during the opening of the 50 years Golden Jubilee celebration in Forestry Training , the Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology who is also a Member of Parliament for the Mafia Hon. Omary Kipanga October 1, 2024 at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) has noted that Forests in the country have many benefits where they occupy 55 percent of the land on the Tanzania Mainland and make the forests alone in the country contribute more than four percent to the national income (GDP ), access to clean water, shelter and grazing for wild animals, soil conservation, biodiversity welfare, climate change and eco-tourism development.