Tanzania claims EAC helm in honey export with 19bn/- generated in 2025/26  

TABORA: THE beekeeping sector in Tanzania has continued to grow, enabling Tanzania to become the first honey producing country in the East African Community (EAC), second in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and 14th in the world.

These achievements have contributed to job creation as well as boosting household and national income.

Speaking at the culmination of the World Bee Day celebrations held nationally in Tabora region, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Dr Ashatu Kijaji said good management of the beekeeping sector has begun to bear fruit due to an increase in honey production from 33,861 tonnes to 75,000 tonnes, as well as an increase in 43,055 new jobs, especially for the youth.

Dr. Kijaji explained that through the “Achia Shoka, Tundika Mzinga” campaign, the level of honey production has increased significantly.

He said the value of honey exported from the country has increased from 11.4bn/- in 2024 to 19.2 bn/- in March 2025, a move that indicates the growth of the beekeeping sector and benefits Tanzanians, especially those living near protected areas.

He added that the celebrations were guided by the slogan of “Bee Conservation for the Well-being of the Environment and Our Nation”, a slogan that goes hand in hand with National plans including the National Development Vision 2050 as well as other strategies aimed at ensuring that the Nation continues to conserve its natural resources to cope with the impacts of climate change and enhance food security.

He stressed that beekeeping plays a major role in the conservation of forests and wildlife, plant pollination, access to food, medicine and industrial raw materials.

The celebrations were accompanied by exhibitions of various bee products, including equipment for processing and producing honey.

In parallel, Dr Kijaji had the opportunity to open a wooden workshop at the Beekeeping Training College, distribute 600 modern hives to beekeeper groups from Urambo and Kaliua councils as well as beekeepers from the Association of the Hearing Impaired, as part of bringing benefits to Tanzanians living near forest reserves.

In addition, he distributed 500 smart stoves that use less electricity as a step to support the efforts of President Samia Suluhu Hassan to promote the use of clean energy for cooking.

For his part, the Tabora Regional Commissioner has urged citizens to stop cutting down trees for charcoal until an assessment is carried out to provide better guidance for sustainable harvesting of trees for charcoal. He has also encouraged citizens to focus on the use of clean energy to protect the environment.