By Prosper Makene, Dodoma
In a move aimed at conserving the environment in Chemba and Kondoa districts in the Dodoma region, a local NGO has supported beekeepers with 70 modern beehives to the tune of Sh7 million.
This will not only increase honey production in the two villages of Gwandi in Chemba district and Sambwa in Kondoa district but also increase income to farmers while at the same time fighting climate change impacts.
The NGO has also built the capacity to beekeepers in the two districts by training local artisans on how to produce modern beehives to enable them to increase honey production and, in turn, improve their lives through income generation.
Speaking during the handover ceremony in Gwandi village, Chemba district, Inades-Formation Tanzania (IFTz) Managing Director, Mr. Mbarwa Kivuyo said the support rendered to farmers aimed at improving the lives of beekeepers, ensuring that villagers are part and parcel of protecting and conserving the environment.
Mr. Kivuyo said each village will receive 35 beehives due to their efforts shown in environmental conservation by protecting forests and water sources.
“Through beekeeping, trees will be preserved and protected, and this in turn helps to fight climate change impacts in these semi-arid districts in the two districts,” he noted.
According to the managing director, with the assistance from Bread for the World (BftW), through IFTz in carrying out various climate change interventions in the two district, the organization also plans to build the capacity of beekeepers by training local tailors on how to fabricate protective honey farming gears.
“We want to see that beekeepers in the two villages of Kondoa and Chemba districts become champions of fighting climate change impacts and have the required modern gears when harvesting honey,” he said.
According to reports, harvesting honey using traditional methods damages the forests in communities as it involves periodic cutting down of trees to fabricate local beehives that are dismantled each harvesting period.
The Chemba District Environmental Management Officer, Mr. Mohamed Semdoe said IFTz projects interventions in the district has resulted has had significant impact on the district council, which is considering investing in the honey processing plant in the village.
He said the move aims at adding value to honey production, enabling beekeepers to increase income generation, thus ensuring food security for the farmers saying it was also a way of helping farmers to fight climate change impacts through beekeeping intervention.
The secretary for Juhudi beekeeping group, Mr. Salmin Dosa said IFTz support will increase honey production to 18 litres a hive from between 1-3 litres by using locally made hives.
“This support will also go a long way in conserving the environment in the village for the generations to come,” he said.
