By Valentine Ophoro
THE Beekeeping Value Chain Support (BEVAC) project is currently working efforts to establish new bee reserve areas in different regions with apiculture potential across the country.
The project, BEVAC, is being implemented by Enabel, the Belgian Development Agency through funds from European Union (EU), and it operates under the coordination of the Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources for Tanzania Mainland and Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock in Zanzibar.
Through the ongoing development, the target is to see at least a total of 53,527 hectares of forest land conserved and officially recognized as a beekeeping reserve.
Among others, the plans is to conserve potential lands for supporting professional beekeeping activities in at least 8 villages in Kigoma Region, three villages in Katavi Region, two villages in Tabora as well as six villages in Singida Region.
Speaking at a special village meeting held in Choda village of Ikungi District in Singida Region, Ikungi District Vice Councilor, Mr. Stephen Petro Mtayana stresses over the need of environmental conservation in order to allow smooth beekeeping in the village.
“It is important to take care of our environment in order to combat the climate change and be able to grasp various opportunities associated with the establishment of bee reserves” he told the villagers.
He told the citizens in the fast growing villages that apart from cheating climate change, environmental conservation have multiple advantages, including propelling beekeeping activities, the potential economic opportunity which will help to maximise their livelihoods.
Choda is one among the 19 villages supported by Enabel through an EU-funded BEVAC project to establish new Bee reserve areas.
Most of beekeeping activities in Tanzania are conducted in the protected areas and forest reserves under villages, districts and ministry authorities including the Tanzania Forestry Services (TFS) and TanzaniaWildlifeAuthority (TAWA).
The establishment of bee reserve will ensure formal recognition of beekeepers and existence of their operations by respective authorities which will assure sustainable production of honey and other bee products.
Tanzania stands 14th country for beekeeping in the world and 2nd in Africa with most of the country's produced honey and beeswax often exported to Germany, France, Belgium and Netherlands, Oman, USA, Japan, Botswana, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Congo DRC, Somali and neighboring Kenya.
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