AfricaPress-Tanzania: As nations celebrated World Bees Day, Tanzanians have been advised to adopt good beekeeping practices due to its economic importance.
Bukoba District Beekeeping Officer under the Tanzania Forests Services (TFS) Lwise Mushi told ‘africa-press’ in an interview that beekeeping was lucrative and did not need big capital.
“While most people normally think that beekeeping is a tough job, on the contrary, it is lucrative and offers employment opportunities. A farmer does not need to feed bees because they are capable of finding their own food from flowers, trees and the environment,” she said.
She noted that a farmer did not need fertile soil, adding that for a kg of honey a farmer could pocket between 10,000/ and 20,000/- compared to traditional coffee which was sold at 1,200/- per kg.
Ms Mushi further explained that bees were categorised in two groups namely stinging bees and stingless bees and had three genders – the queen (female), workers (female) and drones (males) who were security agents.
Meanwhile, Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) has donated about 650 beehives worth 130,000m/- to people living with disabilities (PLWD), including people with hearing impairment (PWHI).
Ms Mushi said the bee hives would benefit the beneficiaries to generate incomes, while also creating employment opportunities to them. Bukoba District will get 200 beehives, Biharamulo 200 and Muleba 250 beehives.
“Through beekeeping PWHI will generate incomes and also improve their nutrition status through frequent use of honey and beeswax and contribute to environmental conservation,” she said.
Earlier this year, TFS conducted a four-day training workshop attended by about 50 people living with hearing impairment and also donated one million tree seedlings to the beneficiaries.
TFS has also given them land in Katoma Ward, Bukoba Rural District, where the beneficiaries planted the trees and TFS closely followed up by giving them needed expert guidance.
