The government has started implementing a long-term national plan to transform the beekeeping sector into a key contributor to household incomes, job creation and the national economy, with initial rollout underway in Singida and Tabora regions.
The Enhanced Tanzania National Beekeeping Sector Development Plan, being implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, seeks to strengthen beekeeping as a commercial and environmentally friendly activity, while increasing its role in foreign exchange earnings and employment, particularly for youth and women.
Launching the initiative during a training programme for beekeeping groups in Manyoni District, Singida Region, the National Coordinator of the plan, Ms Imelda Emmanuel, said the programme will run for 10 years, from 2025 to 2035, and will be implemented in 52 districts across 26 regions of Mainland Tanzania.
She said implementation for the current financial year has begun in Manyoni and Singida district councils in Singida Region, as well as Sikonge, Kaliua and Urambo district councils in Tabora Region, marking a significant step towards revitalising the sector at the grassroots level.
Ms Emmanuel noted that once fully implemented, the plan is expected to substantially increase the production of honey and other bee products, while expanding access to international markets.
She said the government is targeting an increase in honey exports from the current five per cent to 30 per cent by 2035, alongside the creation of more jobs throughout the beekeeping value chain.
She added that beyond boosting production and trade, the plan is designed to address key challenges that have continued to limit the growth of the sector.
These include the destruction of areas suitable for beekeeping, the continued use of traditional bark hives, competition between beekeeping and other human activities, limited access to finance and low levels of private investment.
Other challenges being tackled under the programme include the effects of climate change, inadequate scientific research to inform policy and practice, weak extension services, lack of reliable and timely data, as well as regulatory and market barriers affecting trade in honey and other bee products.
The ministry says the successful implementation of the plan will position beekeeping as a strategic sector for inclusive economic growth, improved rural livelihoods and sustainable environmental conservation in Tanzania.