Celebrating World Bee Day: New Milestones for Durable Beekeeping Project in Tanzania
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Introduction to a new beekeeping group. Photo: the Mavuno project
Today on World Bee Day, we celebrate the small things making a great difference. 🐝 In seven months, the Durable Beekeeping for Sustainable Livelihoods project in Tanzania have taken significant steps in engaging the local communities in Karagwe, Kyerwa and Urambo districts.
Bees are vital to our survival, as primary pollinators for a third of the food we eat. They also produce beeswax and honey that can be used for food, body care, cosmetics and candle making. Through engineering, beekeeping can be modernized and lead to a more efficient honey and beeswax production.
Together with the Mavuno Project in Tanzania, we are developing a program for local farmers to engage with durable beekeeping and enhance off-farm income. In organized groups and cooperatives, local farmers are trained in modern beekeeping techniques and honey production. Main objectives are to increase farmer household incomes and local job creation, as well as enrich agricultural and landscape biodiversity.
New achievements
Following Sida approving funding for the project in October 2025, the project started promptly. Seven months have passed since and we can already see progress being made. Some of the key milestones being reached include:
introducing a new group to the beekeeping program. photo: the mavuno project
🐝 53 beekeeping groups with 952 members, 1 cooperative of 70 members and 73 individual beekeepers have joined the program. Training of the new participants is carried out continuously.
🐝 13 trainers have been equiped with knowledge and tools to support the beekeeping communities. The trainers play a vital role in establishing beekeeping groups, providing guidance in hands-on training of modern beekeeping and harvesting methods, and ensuring community ownership.
modern bee hives are being installed. photo: the mavuno project
🐝 Modernized bee hives are being constructed and installed in hive apiaries. 32 hives have already been successfully colonized with bees.
🐝 A protective bee cage has been constructed in Ihanda village. New bee hives are currently being installed in the cage.
Radio program for raising awareness about the beeekeeping program. photo: the mavuno project
🐝 A radio program has been conducted, focusing on mobilizing and sensitizing local beekeepers to join organized groups.
The program is currently targeting women to enhance female participation. So far, one women's group has joined as a result of the radio program.
The work continues
Mavuno Project continues to raise local awareness of the program, recruit new beekeeping groups and train local farmers. After the great rain season — often occurring in June to July — the main honey harvesting period starts in Tanzania. We look forward to seeing the results of the modernized bee hives and empowered beekeeping communities.
More about the project
Durable Beekeeping for Sustainable Livelihoods in Tanzania
This project focuses on introducing modern beekeeping techniques to improve honey production, empower small-scale farmers and ensure sustainable livelihoods for around 9 000 farmers in Tanzania. The project is a joint collaboration with the Mavuno Project and is funded by SIDA.
Beekeeping project takes flight in Tanzania
January 21, 2026 | The beekeeping project in Tanzania is finally underway! Our volunteer, Martin Bennrup, is currently on site together with Clara Bitakwate, Project Manager at Mavuno Projects, testing new equipment and training local beekeepers.
