Savannas Forever Tanzania

20/11/2025

Savannas Forever's native seed initiative is proving something powerful: a restoration-based rural economy is possible when it’s led by local people and grounded in new, sustainable livelihoods.

For seed champions like Namayani, even $350 in annual income generated from native seed collection and forage production is transformative—supporting school fees, food security, and greater independence. And she is just one of 100 seed champions now restoring degraded rangelands, multiplying native grasses and legumes, and building a new community-based seed supply for Tanzania.

Please join the champions in bringing back degraded rangelands and empowering women and youth to build a restoration economy in their villages.https://www.givemn.org/story/SavannasForever

19/11/2025

Support our seed champions at https://www.givemn.org/story/SavannasForever

18/11/2025

Savannas Forever Tanzania is participating in GiveMN for the first time—and we invite you to help expand community-led restoration across northern Tanzania.

Our long-term research showed how climate change, invasive species, and land pressure are degrading the rangelands that pastoralist families and wildlife rely on. In response, we launched the Native Seed Initiative, where women and youth “seed champions” collect and grow native grasses, legumes, and wildflower seeds to restore damaged land.

In just two years, the initiative has achieved:
• 4,600+ kg of native seed collected and multiplied
• Pastures restored to 500+ bales of forage per acre
• A network of 100+ women and youth champions
• Seasonal incomes rising to $300–$350
• A 16-acre youth-led restoration site now underway

This work is grounded in nearly 20 years of research and partnerships with the University of Minnesota, NM-AIST, and the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.

To bring this model to more communities in 2025, we’ve launched a U.S. 501(c)(3) and joined GiveMN for the first time.

Support the Native Seed Initiative:
https://www.givemn.org/story/SavannasForever

Learn more: SFTZ.org

Together, we can restore Tanzania’s rangelands—one community at a time.

18/11/2025

Elders are teaching seed champions which invasives need to be removed from areas being restored. We are preparing for the short rains.

15/11/2025

The Board of Directors received an update on the Native Seeds Initiative today. Nai-Nancy Laiser highlighted the successes as the number of seed champions has increased, the number of acres under cultivation has increased and both seeds and forage have been harvested. Her full update is at https://www.savannasforeverinternational.org/post/update-for-sf-tanzania-board

Savannas Forever Internation is also participating in Minnesota's Give to the Max day. Visit https://www.givemn.org/story/SavannasForever to participate and support our efforts.

Empower local Maasai women to sustainably restore their grasslands

01/10/2025

Weighing and packaging native seeds collected in the rangelands: 800 kg of cleaned seeds all going to our seed champions and test plots. This year over 90% of our champions are expanding their reseeded pastures. Our champions will receive a mix of grass, legumes and wild flowers of ten species.

23/09/2025

From ¼ acre to 130 bales: how native seeds restore land and lives

When seed champion Anna Julius reseeded just ¼ acre of her degraded pasture with native seeds in 2024, she didn’t know how much it would change her family’s life. This season, she harvested over 130 bales of forage—enough to feed her animals, sell for income, and share with neighbors.

With her husband and children helping to fence and store the harvest, Anna’s whole family has benefited. They’ve been able to pay for schoolbooks, clothes, and feed for their livestock. And now Anna is preparing to expand to a full acre.

“The project has brought us many benefits. Our children go to school, and we buy them clothes. We must expand this year.”

Anna’s story is just one of many showing how native seeds are restoring rangelands and transforming lives across Tanzania.

💚 Learn more about our work at Savannas Forever: sftz.org

10/09/2025

High quality indigenous seeds accelerate restoration

01/09/2025

🌿 Local Wisdom Leads the Way in Seed Collection 🌿

Before we ever collect a single seed, we listen.

In each of our partner villages, we hold focus groups with elders—women and men separately—to learn which native plants they value most for forage, traditional medicine, thatching, and even flavoring food. Their deep knowledge of local ecosystems guides our choices.

Then we work with scientists to understand the ecological role of each plant—like how it supports pollinators, restores soil, or adds nutrients to the land.

By combining indigenous knowledge with scientific research, we can identify the best species for wild collection and multiplication—supporting restoration, biodiversity, and local livelihoods across Tanzania's rangelands.

🌾 From seeds to landscapes, restoration begins with community.

26/08/2025

From Seeds to Landscapes: The Native Seed Initiative

At Savannas Forever, we believe restoration begins with a single seed. Our Native Seed Initiative partners with Maasai women, youth, and ecologists to collect, multiply, and share the grasses, legumes, and forbs that bring life back to degraded rangelands.

🎥 Watch this short video to see how communities are transforming land and livelihoods—one seed at a time.

Together, we can restore biodiversity, improve grazing lands, and create new opportunities for rural families.

👉 Learn more and support the movement: www.sftz.org
| www.savannasforeverinternational.org