Dr. Kajenje Magessa is a lecturer, researcher, and consultant specializing in natural resource governance and policy at the Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management, College of Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism (CFWT), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania. Her academic journey began with a BSc in Forestry (2008) and an MSc in Forestry (2011) from SUA, culminating in a PhD in Forestry (Governance and Policy) from Bangor University, UK, in 2020 .
Dr. Magessa’s research focuses on participatory forest management (PFM), natural resource governance, and policy analysis. Her doctoral thesis examined the discrepancies between PFM policy objectives and outcomes in Tanzania. She has contributed to national strategies, including the National Community-Based Forest Management Action Plan and the National Non-Timber Forest Strategy (2021–2031) .
With experience as a Research Officer at the Tanzania Forestry Research Institute (2011–2022), Dr. Magessa has led and participated in various research projects, such as the conservation of endangered tree species and the socio-economic impacts of conservation efforts. She has also served as a guest lecturer at institutions like Bangor University and the University of Göttingen, sharing her expertise on forest policy and governance .e Principal Investigator for a project assessing carbon credits as a sustainable funding mechanism for PFM in Tanzania, aiming to collaborate with local communities to evaluate the feasibility of carbon and biodiversity credit schemes.
Her scholarly contributions include publications in peer-reviewed journals, such as the article “Does Tanzanian participatory forest management policy achieve its governance objectives?” in Forest Policy and Economics .ural resource governance through her academic, research, and consultancy endeavors, contributing significantly to sustainable forest management practices in Tanzania and beyond.
Dr. Gimbage E. Mbeyale is a Senior Lecturer, researcher, and consultant in the Department of Forest Resources Assessment and Management at the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Tourism (CFWT), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania. Born on March 7, 1968, he is a Tanzanian national with a distinguished academic and professional background in forestry and natural resource management.
Dr. Mbeyale earned his PhD in Geography from the University of Dar es Salaam in 2009. He also holds an MSc in Forestry (1999) and a BSc in Forestry (1995), both from SUA.
His academic career at SUA began as a Research Assistant with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Miombo Research Project from 1998 to 2000. He then progressed through various academic positions: Assistant Lecturer (2000–2004), Lecturer (2004–2010), and Senior Lecturer from 2010 to the present.
Dr. Mbeyale’s research interests encompass forest management, natural resource governance, community-based forest management, and socio-economic aspects of conservation. His scholarly contributions include studies on participatory forest management, institutional transformations of pastoral commons, and the impact of institutional changes on common-pool resource management in Tanzania.