The Forest Plantation Development Fund was established by (ACT 583, 2000) and (Amended Act 623, 2002) to provide:
- Financial assistance for the development of private forest plantation on lands suitable for commercial timber production and
- Research and technical advice to persons involved in commercial plantation forestry on specified conditions
Function: Encouraging investment in forest plantation development through incentives as well as promoting feasible schemes that support related forest projects which will attract investments and donors.
Sources of Fund:
- The proceeds of the export levy imposed under the Trees and Timber Act, 1974 as amended by the Trees and Timber Act, 1994 (Act 493)
- Grants and Loans for encouraging investment in plantation forestry
- Grants provided by international environmental and any other institutions to support forest plantation development projects for social and environmental benefits, and
- Moneys to support forest plantation development:
- provided by Parliament from the Consolidated Fund, and
- From any other source approved by the Minister responsible for Finance.
The Forest Plantation Development Fund (FPDF) decided to apply part of its fund to support newly graduated unemployed foresters to undertake forest plantation establishment as an occupation and own the plantations established. It is in line with these objectives that the FPDF is embarking on ‘Youth in Plantation Establishment as an Occupation, a project that is primarily aimed at attracting the youth to venture into plantation establishment.