Beekeeping in Tanzania plays a significant role in socio-economic development by generating cash income and contributing to food security. It also indirectly contributes to the conservation of forests and agricultural productivity.Tanzania is an important producer of quality honey and beeswax due to its favourable climate and vegetation that support beekeeping, capable of hosting up to 9.2 million productive bee colonies in its forest woodlands and farm areas. Additionally, Tanzania benefits from the presence of both sting and stingless honeybees and the existence of indigenous knowledge on beekeeping practices.”
Honey is one of the major foods for some communities, such as hunters in Tanzania. It Is also a raw material for industrial products, ranging from pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles, beverages, and paper to confectioneries, both small and large.
It is estimated that the sector generates revenue of about USD 1.7 million each year from the sale of honey and beeswax and employs about 2 million people in the country, with 1.2 million being beekeepers. Tanzania produces approximately 34,000 metric tons of honey annually. The government of Tanzania has put in place a policy framework and implementation instruments to support the development of the beekeeping industry.
The National Beekeeping Policy of 1998, the National Beekeeping Act of 2002, the Forest Act Cap 323 of 2002, and the Guidelines for Quality Control of Bee Products of 2007 provide platforms for promoting profitable and quality bee products.”
TYPES OF HONEY BASED ON THE VEGATATION
There are different types of honey produced in Tanzania that fetch high prices in local and international markets due to their high quality. These include Miombo honey from Miombo woodland, Acacia honey from Acacia woodland, Creamy-white honey from Leucas stricta sp, montane honey from Montane forest, Mangrove honey from Mangrove forest, and Creamy honey from Itigi thickets.”
QUALITY ASSURANCE OF BEE PRODUCTS
Tanzania has established modalities for quality assurance among different stakeholders engaged in the development and utilization of bee products in the country. The existing quality assurance system for honey has been in place for several years and has, in other productive areas, led to the qualification of Tanzania honey for international markets. Tanzania Forest
Services Agency (TFS) implements a chemical residues monitoring plan as a requirement to access international markets, including the European market.”
APIARIES
Tanzania has approximately 48.1 million hectares of forest woodland scattered throughout the country, making it an ideal location for developing beekeeping industries. The Tanzania Forest Service has established three bee farms of Manyoni-Kondoa at Central Zone, Mwambao bee farm in Handeni District (Northern Zone) and Kipembawe bee farm in Chunya District (Southern Highland Zone). Also, a total of 256 bee apiaries located in forest plantations, village lands, bee reserves, and forest reserves are established. Some of the protected National bee reserves include the proposed Kilinga Forest, Aghondi. anti Memembo bee reserves in Manyoni Districts; Maganze Mzaree, Lebba Jumbe, Male “tero, and Songolo at Nyandakame Beekeeping Center in Chemba District. Others s: st2 Kipembawe bee reserve in Chunya, District; Kang’ata, Kwenyenyunga Magiri Bee rescue in Handeni District; Kamba and Sambu Bee reserve in Kilindi District; and Miha Bee reserve in Mvomero District. There is also high potential for beekeeping in agricultural lands, where substantial bee products can be harvested from crops such as sunflower, green beans, coffee, coconuts, and sisal. Additionally, the mangrove forests on the mainland Tanzania, which cover about 115,500 hectares, also provide high potential for beekeeping.”
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
The demand for honey and beeswax in the world market is very high, and the demand for Tanzanian honey and beeswax exceeds supply. The main buyers of Tanzanian honey are European Union member countries, especially the Germany, The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and France. Other potential markets are the News land, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. The main importers of Tanzanian beeswax are Japan, the USA, and European Union member countries, Currently, Tanzania exports 793.564 tons of beeswax and 1563 tons of honey per year, and these exports increase dramatically annually.
PRODUCTION CAPACITY
Tanzania is one of the leading producers of honey in Africa, it has favourable climate and vegetation that support beekeeping, capable of pulling up to 9.2million of fruitful bee colonies in its forest woodlands and farm areas. Currently it is estimated to produce approximately 34,000 metric tons of honey and 9 200 tons of beeswax annually. There are over 3 million beehives and majority of beekeepers are small scale farmers who use traditional beehives.
MARKETS OF HONEY AND OTHER BEE PRODUCTS
In Tanzania two mainly bee products traded are honey and beeswax, the sector generates honey worth EUR 7.96 million and beeswax worth EUR 1.59 million annually.
LOCAL MARKET
Demand for honey as food and as product with healing qualities has been increasing
about 90% of honey produced is sold locally for food, production of honey beer,
honey wine, industrial honey in confectioneries and pharmaceutical industries. Large cities such as Dar es salaam, Mwanza and
Arusha are potential areas for the local market. In the city of Dar es Salaam alone, there are 79 different types of honey brands in
supermarkets and stores.
BEEKEEPING TRANING INSTITUTE (BTI) For more information about Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) , visit: https://www.tfs.go.tz Beekeeping Training Institute (BTI) is located in Miombo Woodlands (Dry Savannah Forests) of Tanzania in Tabora region. The Institute is about 4 km South-east of Tabora town, along the Airport Road. Tabora is accessible from the rest of the country by air, roads and railway. BTI is among the Institutes that over Beekeeping Training for technical cadre at certificate and diploma levels for the SADC Region, East, Central, West African countries and across the world.
The Institute’s history reflects back from the year 1949 when Francis G. Smith (British) arrived in Tabora and established the first Beekeeping Research Center in Miombo Woodlands at the site where BTI is now located. When Smith left Tanzania (By then Tanganyika) in 1962 he handed over the buildings and other facilities to the Beekeeping Department under the Government of Tanzania. The Government utilized the Centre for training beekeepers/farmers and Beekeeping Attendants from all over the country.
For more information contact https://bti.ac.tz/
Private sector organizations: There are also several private sector organizations
involved in beekeeping in Tanzania. These include honey processing
companies, honey exporters, and beekeeping equipment supplie.