Training, financing boost honey entrepreneur’s growth
TABORA: SKILLS training, group financing and product diversification are helping a Tabora-based honey entrepreneur overcome business barriers, formalise operations and explore wider markets, although unreliable honey supplies and limited capital continue to constrain growth.
Mwamvua Hamisi, who runs Mwamvua Food Processing in Kaliua District, has expanded her honey-processing and marketing activities four years after receiving training under the Skills Development Fund (SDF), managed by the Tanzania Education Authority (TEA).
The training equipped her with skills in beekeeping, honey processing, packaging and marketing, enabling her to strengthen an enterprise she had already established.
Hamisi has since registered her company through the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), obtained product quality certification from the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and secured barcodes to improve product identification.
She was among more than 49,000 beneficiaries of the fiveyear SDF programme, implemented between the 2017/18 and 2022/23 financial years to develop skills in agriculture and agribusiness, energy, construction, information and communication technology, and tourism services.
Hamisi, who chairs the Kaliua District Women Entrepreneurs, said access to financing had helped her and fellow entrepreneurs establish a shared retail business.
Following the training, their group, Wanawake Wachakataji wa Mazao ya Nyuki – Kaliua, secured a 10m/- loan from the Kaliua District Council.
The money financed business premises, shop furniture, shelves and honey purchases for their retail outlet selling bee products.
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According to Hamisi, the group has repaid the entire loan and continues to operate.
Its 15 members meet regularly to exchange information and review their business progress. However, seasonal fluctuations in honey supplies remain a major challenge.
Dry conditions and water shortages affect bee activity, while heavy rainfall can damage flowers from which bees collect nectar, reducing honey availability.
Hamisi has expanded beyond honey by undertaking additional training through the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) in making products from bee-derived materials, including bathing soap, candles and oils.
The additional skills offer opportunities to diversify her product range and reduce dependence on honey sales alone. She has also participated in entrepreneurship exhibitions in Kenya and South Sudan to promote her products and establish business contacts.
She is preparing to attend an exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda, in November 2026. The exhibitions provide opportunities to showcase products and explore markets beyond her local area, although converting exposure into sustained sales remains a challenge for small businesses.
Hamisi’s experience highlights the importance of combining technical training with financing, quality certification and market access to help entrepreneurs turn skills into viable businesses.
For her enterprise and the women’s group, sustaining supplies and securing reliable customers remain key priorities for future growth.
