Tanzania: Developing the Beekeeping Value Chain

Summary

Under the 11th EDF National Indicative Programme for Tanzania (2014-2020), Sustainable Agriculture is a focal sector with the specific objective to ‘enhance management of natural resources, including forests, and ecosystem services for sustainable agriculture development and climate change adaptation’. 

Tanzania is the second largest honey producer in Africa after Ethiopia and the largest African supplier to the EU (Germany, England, Belgium and Netherlands). It produces 34,000 tons per year, and nearly 9,200 tons of beeswax. The sector generates high-quality honey worth €7.96 million and beeswax worth €1.59 million annually, of which products worth €1.69 million from honey and beeswax are exported, primarily to regional markets for local consumption or re-export. 

ITC in collaboration with the Belgian development agency (ENABEL) will empower the private sector actors working in the beekeeping value chain (including women and youth when appropriate) and will contribute to inclusive economic growth in Tanzania (particularly in the less advanced regions of the country) by increased export competitiveness and increased regional market integration of the beekeeping value chain.

The project aims to promote sustainable agriculture by improving the beekeeping value chain through enhanced quality production, value addition of bee products and enhanced trade and access to local, regional and international markets.

ITC will focus on improving the links between production and marketing, while focusing on groups living in vulnerable situations, providing them with employment opportunities to participate in the value chain. The project will support enabling working environment for private sector involved in the bee product processing and trade.