Online Reporter
Zandile Zaza Ndlovu
Business Correspondent
Stability through corporate governance reforms, operational efficiency and financial turnaround were the highlights of the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe’s recent 2024 Annual General Meeting held in Harare.
Speaking at the AGM, the director-general Mr George Manyumwa, appointed in July 2025, cited milestones achieved from the 2024 to 2025 years. According to the commission, quarterly performance scores rose from 3.14 in 2024 to 4.4 out of 6 by the end of 2025, which meets all expectations.
Financially, revenue streams due to gazetted forests and conservation support agreements through strategic partnerships with the commission’s revenue centres have recorded net gains of US$3 million.
Cost containment measures on the profit and loss statement have afforded the commission to recover from its financial doldrums and is now up to date with salary payments and statutory obligations that were in arrears.
The Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe’s core mandate is to sustainably manage, preserve and regulate Zimbabwe’s forests.
Falling under the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, the parastatal oversees about 18 million hectares of forest land, which is nearly half of Zimbabwe’s total land area.
In the previous year the commission only managed to plant 19 million trees. Illegal settlements in gazetted forests, salary remuneration and an acute shortage of vehicles were cited as the main inhibiting factors to accomplishing the tree planting mandate.
The new strategy has seen partner organisations donating conservation vehicles with 27 million trees being planted in 2025.
Addressing the areas on operational efficiency, the commission is automating all its systems including its human resource systems as well as in order to stop pilferage, to expedite the issuance of permits and licenses.
Through its innovative hubs at Kiln in Forest Hill, the organisation will acquire a wood kiln machine to enhance timber value addition and propagation capacity as well as commission the tissue culture facility.
During the AGM, Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe board chairman Ambassador Mahomed Jassat praised the commission’s staff, management and partners for their commitment and resilience as the commission continues its turnaround journey.
He spoke of how the board of commissioners have encouraged the management and staff to strive for compliance and performance excellence. He noted that this was possible as the Commission had been recognized as the most improved parastatal at the Presidential Performance Appraisal Awards this year.
In her speech, the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, praised the commission for a sterling job of recovery and institutional consolidation.
She pledged an open door policy to ensure the growth and support from Government and Treasury.
The commission aims to deliver on long-term structural stability, sustainable forest management, climate financing, technology adoption, strengthened private-sector partnerships and good governance.
