Tanzania established its National Biodiversity Information Facility (TanBIF) during the 2nd National Biodiversity Information Stakeholders meeting held on 30th August 2007. Thirty-five institutions/departments signed the communiqué. During the meeting Members of a National Committee to oversee TanBIF activities were selected.

TanBIF is an extensive, decentralized system of national biodiversity information units that intends to provide free and universal access to data and information regarding Tanzania’s biodiversity. It is a national node of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). TanBIF was the main aspiration of the GBIF Capacity Enhancement Programme for Developing Countries (CEPDEC) Pilot Project in Tanzania.

This project which is sponsored by the Department of Environment, Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CEPDEC was officially launched in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania by the Danish Ambassador to Tanzania, His Excellency Bjarne Sorensen on 13th March 2007. Through this three years project led by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) in partnership with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), Tanzania will be able to build a science infrastructure that will enhance capacity in mobilizing and using biodiversity data and information for a sustainable future and in reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The project is also expected to contribute to the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (MKUKUTA).

The TanBIF webportal was built by ETI BioInformatics in the Netherlands, using the BioPortalâ„¢ Toolkit.