Beekeeping Overview

Background explanation

In the year 1998, the first National Beekeeping Policy (NBP) came into operation. Its overall goal is to enhance the contribution of the beekeeping sector to the sustainable development of Tanzania and the conservation and management of her natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The NBP further sets various objectives to enhance sector performance, one of them being to ‘‘Ensure sustainable existence of honeybees by maintaining and effectively managing adequate area of bee reserves’’. Therefore, this forms a baseline for the establishment of bee reserves.

According to the definition provided in the National Beekeeping Policy (NBP)1998, Bee Reserve is defined to be an area of land administered and managed for the purpose of sustainable development of bees and bee fodder resources. Bee resources includes bees, fodder plants, water and any other resource that is used by the bees. 

The operationalization of NBP came up with emphasis on establishment of Bee Reserves. It regards the reserves to be of paramount importance in beekeeping and bee resources development in Tanzania for, bee reserves are very important in ensuring existence of honey bees and other bee resources sustainably. The NBP emphasizes that Bee Reserves are established and operationalized under ownership of individuals, Non-Governmental Organizations, Local Government Authorities and Central Government including its Agencies and Authorities. TFS as government agency, currently owns and manages 12 Bee reserves among which, 9 are gazetted in the government gazette. These bee reserves have good potentials for both production of bee products and Api-tourism attractions that also can be part of eco-tourism centers. Hereunder, are description of some of the gazette bee reserves under the ownership of TFS.