Young CEO harnesses digital marketing to penetrate regional markets

DAR ES SALAAM: MR Adam Joseph, a 25-year-old Tanzanian bee entrepreneur has successfully turned his social media accounts into vibrant marketplaces by leveraging the digital platforms to expand his market reach in the country and beyond.

Mr Joseph is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Safarigreen Honey, a company based in Igunga, Tabora venturing in production of bee products, including royal jelly, bee pollen, beeswax, bee bread, bee venom and honey.

In an interview with the Daily News, Mr Joseph said he has been reaching his customers mainly through digital platforms, including Instagram which have a large number of users with all age groups including youth.

“Today almost all customers are on social media. These are among the best platforms for marketing in which we have been taking advantage of them to reach our customers,’’ Mr Joseph said.

Adding “it is very important to use the social media for provision of services, selling of products and do other things that can benefit people,” He said as of today on Instagram, he has over 15,000 followers who have been placing their orders, saying the platform offers a stable borderless marketplace.

As a result, Mr Joseph said the Safarigreen Honey’s products have been penetrating all regions across the country while touching neighbouring countries, including Zambia, Malawi, Kenya and Uganda. He said his company currently sells one kilo of honey at 20,000/-.

Regarding annual production, he said Safarigreen Honey has been producing one tone of honey yearly.

He said the Safarigreen Honey targets both retailers and wholesalers with a plan of positioning its self as an international brand that offers high quality bee products. Mr Joseph urged other fellow youth in the country to use social media wisely by monetising their contents and promoting their businesses or talents.

“Investing is possible, we have to do what we think we can,” Mr Joseph said.

In a related development, he said he has been using social media to provide education to citizens pertaining to modern beekeeping. Mr Joseph noted that many people are unaware of the entire value chain of bee products and hence he has come up with an education initiative to bridge the knowledge gap.

Detailing the bee products, he gave the example of royal jelly, which is used to cut ageing, while bee pollen which is rich in proteins is used to boost human body energy. With a 10-year experience in the bee industry, Mr Joseph said he holds a bachelor degree in beekeeping from the University of Dar Es Salaam (UDSM).

He said his company currently has 10 employees. Regarding boosting youth-led entrepreneurship in Tanzania, he said the youth should not hesitate to execute their business ideas, saying the move will pave the way for identifying areas that need support from the government and the private sector at large.

Briefing reporters recently in Dar es Salaam, Minister of State in the President Office-Youth Development Dr Joel Nanauka outlined ambitious strategies to empower youth economically, ranging from supporting ideas, innovations, financing start-up businesses and establishing over 100,000 youth-led companies to drive the manufacturing sector and the country’s economy at large.

The initiative intends to stir innovation and export as well as create jobs in line with ruling CCM’s Election Manifesto 2025-2030 which seeks to create about eight million jobs within the next five years.

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“The government is committed to empowering youth economically, to make a shift from owning microbusinesses to running major companies and leading the manufacturing economy,” Dr Nanauka said. Adding “we want to have a huge portion of youth who are producers and manufacturers,” He said the ministry under a youth investment programme in the next five years aims to establish over 100,000 youth led companies, out of which 20,000 will be accommodated in Special Economic Zones in collaboration with the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones (TISEZA) to benefit from a designated funding scheme encompassing asset financing.

Asset financing helps businesses acquire necessary equipment and machinery. He said the shortlisted 20,000 youth lead manufacturing companies will be required to create at least 50 jobs in contributing to the ministry’s mission of generating about one million jobs in the next five years.

Dr Nanauka said the youth led companies in SEZs will invest in priority sectors including agro-processing and digital creative industries. He noted that placement of youth led manufacturing companies in SEZs will earn them trust from the private sector including banks to support them financially.

He insisted that the SEZs will have in-built supportive investment infrastructures, including electricity and Information Communication Technology (ICT) featured by the TISEZA’s One Stop Facilitation Centre to address the need of the youth manufacturers.

He said the ministry will diversify sources of capital for youth by establishing credit guarantee scheme and requesting banks to open up fullfledged youth investment window for them to access affordable loans not necessarily with collateral.

Furthermore, he said his docket has an indicative budget of 8bn/- which will be used to provide capital to youth-led businesses.

Dr Nanauka explained that the funds are part of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s 200bn/- pledge within first 100 days in office for financing citizens’ businesses owned by the youth.

In ensuring youth excel in businesses, Dr Nanauka said all the initiatives on empowering youth economically will be complemented by coaching and mentorship aiming at enriching them with marketing, resiliency, volunteerism and entrepreneurship skills.

Optimistic about the future of digital economy, Dr Nanauka said the government is set to establish an Open Coding School for the youth to acquire digital skills which are useful in digitalising their economic activities.

He underlined the importance of the young generation to use digital space for economic development, saying digital space offers massive opportunities where the youth can earn incomes beyond using them only for communication. Statistically, Dr Nanauka reminded that youth currently form over 50 per cent of the country’s workforce.