Deforestation in Tanzania is estimated at 91,276 ha annually which is almost 0.2% of forest cover. Rehabilitation of degraded environment in Tanzania requires 440 million seedlings, equivalent to 40 tones of seeds per year. TFS through the Directorate of Tree Seed Production have 4 tree seed production stations in Morogoro, Lushoto, Iringa and Shinyanga. Among others, the functions of these stations is to sustainablly supply of forest products and environmental conservation by producing, procuring and marketing quality tree seed and other propagating materials to meet the end needs. Seed quality has a direct impact on tree growth and the success of tree planting activities.

Seed quality is comprised of three components.

•  Physical quality:  Quality related to physical characteristics, such as size, color, age, seed coat condition, occurrence of cracks, pest and disease attacks, or other damage.
•  Physiological quality:  Quality related to physiological characteristics, such as maturity, moisture content, or germination ability.
•  Genetic quality:  Quality related to characteristics inherited from the parent trees where seeds were harvested.

Seed quality helps to determine:

•  The quantity of seed that should be sown to produce the required number of seedlings;
•  The number, health and vigor of the resulting seedlings; and
•  The characteristics of the resulting seedlings and mature trees, such as growth rate, biomass production (wood, leaves, etc), fruit and seed production, stem form (straightness, diameter, branchiness, merchantable length), general health and susceptibility to pests and diseases.
This have been made possible through collection of seeds from seed sources, seed stands of different qualities which have been established and properly managed.