THE Prime Minister, Mizengo Peter Pinda has directed executives of the district councils in the country to set apart some portions of their land forests within their respective districts which they see could be suitable for the economic development of beekeeping activities. The Premier gave his concern recently in Dar es Salaam when he addressed key stakeholders of the honey sector in the country after he had officially opened a five day honey exhibition that involved beekeepers and business people who are engaged in selling honey related products. The exhibition dubbed ‘Dar es Salaam Honey Exhibition’ which is the first ever to be held in the country started on Wednesday and is expected to end on Sunday this week. Companies that sell and distribute honey, beehive makers and distributors of other materials related to the honey sub-sectors participated. Also in attendance were 65 district councils from different 23 regions in the country as well as 19 civil society groups mostly those who engage in honey business at local and international level. Other dignitaries who attended were some invited Regional Commissioners, Members of Parliament and some foreign Ambassadors accredited in the country. The occasion which is organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in cooperation with Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) and other stakeholders from beekeeping sector has been given a national status under the theme titled, “Honey for Health and Prosperity” The objective of the exhibition is to secure reliable bee products markets whereby several showcases are presented and delivered by stakeholders to show goers who are informed on the benefits of honey, learn about beekeeping and some had the opportunity to taste and buy quality honey displayed at Karume main Hall building at Mwalimu Nyerere Fair grounds commonly known as Sabasaba grounds. In his speech, the Premier challenged district executives from areas where beekeeping is taking place that, they should engage in beekeeping as the business would earn them money for development in their areas, and most important is a way to reduce poverty among young Tanzanians.
Tanzania's Prime Minister shakes hands with other parliamentarians after the morning session in Dodoma recently.
The premier who is also a beekeeper, has urged key stakeholders to help promote the sector by following the national policy on beekeeping of 2008 which he said part of it concerns with the growth of industries related with honey materials. However, he said that the involvement of youths in beekeeping would bring benefits to the nation as many youths who tread in towns and cities looking for livelihood would mind to stay in their localities and engage in the business which would earn them foreign currency out of exports. He has also cautioned against wanton felling of trees and other vegetations which are a good source of attraction of bees in their search of nectar from them. However, he also cautioned indiscriminate setting of fire on forests, as the act causes degradation and destroys natural sources. The Premier who seems to have strengthened many efforts in beekeeping in the country revealed to his audience that, he saw the need to promote the sector during the nanenane exhibitions which was held in Dodoma last August when he met various beekeeping experts and had become so much interested to reinforce the activities as part of a national program. In his part, he has strongly urged the stakeholders to take a keen interest as well by taking all the necessary initiatives to achieve the goals, however, he wondered why Ethiopian country which is a semi desert country could surpass Tanzania in production of honey yet Tanzania is better blessed by rich natural resources. Giving the estimated statistics of the entire production of honey in the country, he noted that, Tanzania can produce 135,000 tones per year and earns Sh. 1.8 trillions against the current production of 9,000 tones per years which earns the country Sh. 27 billion. He also noted that, the country produces 600 tones of beeswax that earns the nation Sh. 3 billion per year. Premier Mizengo said that every district in the country is able to concentrate in this business and the activities of beekeeping in order to empower youths, in view of this, he has also stressed upon the executive at district levels to ensure that, they make a good success in this so that Tanzania should lead in East Africa region and Africa as a whole. “It is wonderful to hear that Tanzania ranks the ninth country in Africa for the production of honey and yet we have all the necessary natural resources to be proud of” he said adding that it’s just a matter of planning a challenge that should be entirely committed by the district councils which he has also urged them to form main collection centers as well as points of honey productions in the country. Elaborating his point, he said that district councils should have cooperative societies which would be involved in the checking of the better quality homey and institute learning centers which would teach stakeholders on how to pack their products which should have a TBS label of excellence. The exhibitions went alongside with the issuing of certificates of the best performing companies which did the best in their products as well as packing of their products whereby a Dar es Salaam based Johari Honey Supplied Ltd scored the first position.
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