MWE Correspondent
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has issued eight new directives aimed at transforming Tanzania’s beekeeping sector.
The announcement came during a national ceremony marking World Bee Day, held at Chinangali Grounds in Dodoma, the country’s capital. The event brought together environmentalists, researchers, government officials, and hundreds of beekeepers from across Tanzania.
Majaliwa emphasized that bees are not just producers of honey, but vital agents of biodiversity and crop production. “Bees contribute to nearly 80% of all food crop pollination,” he noted, aligning with data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). “Without them, we risk serious setbacks in both agriculture and food security.”
Among the eight directives, a key initiative is the mass distribution of improved beehives in high-potential regions such as Chemba District and Kondoa. These areas, known for their rich natural vegetation, are well positioned to produce premium-quality honey that can meet growing international demand.
Tanzania already ranks among the leading honey-producing countries in Africa, and the government now aims to ramp up its contribution to the global honey trade. In addition to increasing output, the Prime Minister called for improved quality standards to meet the expectations of export markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Another directive urges the expansion of beekeeping training programs through agricultural colleges and vocational institutions. Majaliwa encouraged youth to see apiculture not just as a rural tradition, but as a viable business. “Beekeeping should be part of our national development strategy and embraced by the younger generation,” he said.
He also announced plans to invest in honey processing centers, establish research partnerships with universities, and integrate apiculture into the country’s broader climate resilience and environmental conservation agenda. By protecting natural habitats and encouraging afforestation, Tanzania hopes to create a more bee-friendly environment, thereby supporting both economic and ecological goals.
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The government is also pushing for more community-based organizations to get involved in apiculture, particularly women’s cooperatives. Empowering women in rural areas through beekeeping aligns with Tanzania’s goals of gender equity in agriculture and poverty reduction.
Internationally, the Prime Minister’s message echoed global warnings about the decline in bee populations due to climate change, pesticide use, and habitat loss. The United Nations and World Bank have repeatedly urged countries to support pollinators as a pathway to sustainable development.
“Protecting bees is protecting life,” Majaliwa said. “Their role in food systems, economic growth, and climate mitigation is far too important to ignore.”
The government will monitor the implementation of these directives through the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS), which oversees the country’s forest reserves where most wild bees thrive.
