BEEKEEPING DEVELOPMENT
Rationale
Beekeeping has been identified as an economic activity that has the potential to both reduce rural poverty as well as improve the sustainable management of forest and woodland resources. Currently, however, Tanzanias vast potential for beekeeping is largely untapped, due to a range of factors such as limited knowledge of markets, poor quality produce, limited transport opportunities, and poor quality hives and techniques leading to inefficiencies in production and processing. 95% of all hives used in Tanzania are the traditional log or bark hives and improved hives such as the Kenya Top Bar have made very limited impact in the country.
Objectives and indicators
The programme objectives and indicators are given in the Box below:
Objective: To promote the conservation and sustainable use of beeproducts and services to meet the needs of stakeholders at local, national and global levels.
Indicators by 2010:
Ø reduced incidence of destruction of bee forage sites and increased number of beekeepers and villages with secure title and access to bee reserves
Ø appropriate technologies are in use for the production, processing and storage of bee produts
Ø laws, regulations and guidelines which allow for the effective participation and involvement of all stakeholders in sectoral development based on clearly defined rights and responsibilities are in place
Ø cost effective beekeeping extension system is in place based on a strategy developed jointlyt by central and local government institutions
Ø beekeeping research master plan in place and implemented in a collaborative manner providing sound scientific answers to priority issues in sectoral development
Sub Programmes
Conservation of Bee Forage
Decreasing supplies of bee fodder caused by deforestation and conversion of forest land to agriculture is having a severe impact on honey bee populations. The National Beekeeping Policy and Beekeeping Act provide for a range of incentives to local communities with which they can conserve bee forage within forest and woodland areas. One key strategy in this regard is the establishment of Bee Reserves, both on village land and in forest reserves owned by either central or local governments. This will be mainstreamed with the ongoing national programme on Participatory Forest Management.
Improvement of Quantity and Quality of Bee Products
Bee products produced in Tanzania varies enormously but is often of unsufficient quality to be able to compete on national or international markets. This sub-programme will introduce a system of bee product standards and ensure that these standards are widely disseminated to beekeepers across the country. In addition, training and extension will be undertaken to ensure that beekeepers and beekeeping groups are adequately sensitised on improving bee produce.
Formulation and harmonisation of Beekeeping laws, regulations and guidelines
This sub programme will address the gap in law and regulations regarding beekeeping. At the time of formulation of the NFBKP (2001), relevant laws were outdated and obsolete - such as the Poduce Export (Beeswax) Rules of 1957 and the East African Customs Management Act of 1962 which regulated importation of honey, bees, beekeeping equipment and appliances. Since that time, the Government of Tanzania has issued the Beekeeping Act (2002) and Beekeeping Regulations (2006) which provide an updated legal framework for beekeeping in Tanzania. The need still exists, however, to ensure that beekeeping is adequately mainstreamed within other relevant legislation within the natural resource sector as well as publicising the new legislation in Kiswahili as well as "plain language" editions.
Local and National Capacity enhanced to manage and develop the beekeeping sector
The capacity at national, local governmnet and community levels with regard to beekeeping is inadequate if the ambitious objectives and targets set by the law and policy are to be met. Consequently there is a need to train stakeholders at all levels in beekeeping development. Specific aspects included under this sub programme include upgrading beekeeping training at colleges and universities, upgrading the skills and capacity of extension staff working within FBD, training local government staff in participatory and technical aspects of beekeeping, and broad awareness raising at household level on beekeeping opportunities such as the production and marketing of honey and wax. In addition the need to upgrade research within the beekeeping sector is highlighted and to ensure that findings are presented and utilised by policy makers and practitioners alike.