1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Approach

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

Global coordination project for the SFM Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program (GEF-FAO / DSL-IP)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (if relevant)

TANZANIA FOREST SERVICES AGENCY (TFS)

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

02/11/2024

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Beekeeping is an activity which involves maintenance of bee colonies by using man-made hives within a selected forest area which provides the required feed and habitat resources required by bees. Through beekeeping, trees are conserved as they provide flowers hence ensuring feeds for bees. Beekeeping is used as an approach of protecting forest reserves against encroachments. Bee products, produced within the value chain, improve the livelihoods of beekeepers and communities at large while conserving the environment at the same time.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Beekeeping is an activity which involves care and management of honeybees for production of bee products, mostly honey and bee-wax. Beekeeping is an environmentally friendly activity ensuring conservation of trees and other forest resources protected through it. Therefore, beekeeping is undertaken for two major purposes which are:

•Production of bee products through which livelihoods of beekeepers and communities at large are improved and;
•Protection of trees and thereby, forest water resources.

Beekeeping is largely dictated by weather/climatic conditions; hence it is very crucial for the beekeeper to understand the rhythm of various seasons for successful beekeeping.
In this approach, trainings were provided to beekeepers in a community in Tabora Region, Sikonge District, on modern beekeeping techniques and skills which involve the use of modern hives and tools for increased production of bee products. Beekeepers were trained on:

•Measures which can be taken to ensure successful honey and wax production and;
•Measures required to adapt to impacts on bees from climate change.

Representatives from the Miombo Beekeeping Group (user group) are experienced beekeepers who have been in the field for a long period. Land users/beekeepers liked the approach because beekeeping does not require a lot of time due to its seasonal nature. Therefore, a beekeeper can have, besides beekeeping activities, ample time for carrying out other production activities, e.g. agricultural activities. Also, beekeeping does not require large areas of land and beekeeping can therefore, be integrated with other activities.
Insufficient capital for accessing modern hives and tools is one of the hinderances which make it hard for some of beekeepers to adopt improved beekeeping approaches.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• traditional/ indigenous

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

1. Beekeeping is practiced as a method of conservation of trees and other potential resources against encroachment from illegal timber harvesting, specifically in forest reserves.
2. Beekeeping is further developed for diversification of income sources so as to have access to other bee products besides honey which is commonly used as food and medicine.
3. On-farm beekeeping ensures pollination of crops thereby increasing crop yields.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	interactive	Beekeepers at individual levels are mobilized to form formal beekeeping groups through which participatory analysis of the beekeeping activities is done by collaborating with the beekeeping officers and local administrative units. Thereafter, they develop plans which provide guidance and assistance to beekeepers especially to the new actors in the sector.
planning	interactive	Beekeeping activities are planned by the beekeeper who is provided with technical support from beekeeping officers specifically on techniques and skills that can be employed for increased production of bee products.
implementation	interactive	Beekeeping involves the use of modern skills and techniques which are provided to beekeepers through government institutions and agencies. For instance, Tanzania Forest Services Agency under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, are mandated by the Government on supervision of all forest and bee resources towards ensuring sustainable production. The agency collaborates with beekeeping groups during implementation of beekeeping activities.
monitoring/ evaluation	interactive	Government agencies facilitate monitoring/evaluation of beekeeping activities, production and marketing of products. The government possess a database of beekeepers in all the districts, which enables tracing of the specific source of bee products from producers and their locations.

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• all relevant actors, as part of a participatory approach

Explain:

Both the Government and beekeepers decide on the use of beekeeping activities as an approach for conservation. This is because of the mutual benefits that both of the two will gain;
1. The Government will ensure protection of tree resources against encroachments and deforestation 2. Beekeepers will obtain bee products after being capacitated with technical skills and support from the Government

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

Yes

Specify who was trained:

• land users

If relevant, specify gender, age, status, ethnicity, etc.

Training was provided to the MIYOMBO beekeeping group members, consisting of 50 men and 7 women. The group has members of various ages, ranging from youths to adults.

Form of training:

• demonstration areas
• public meetings

Subjects covered:

1. MODERN BEEKEEPING PRACTICES AND TOOLS FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF BEE PRODUCTS.
2. VALUE ADDITION OF THE PRODUCED BEE PRODUCTS FOR IMPROVED LIVELIHOOD AND INCOME GENERATION.

Comments:

Farmers were provided training in public meetings, whereby they were provided with technical skills and knowledge on modern beekeeping practices and tools. Also, they were provided with skills on value addition of their produced bee products through demonstration so as to have hands-on skills and experience.

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields

Describe/ comments:

Trainings are provided to beekeepers at their local communities, within their groups (producer organizations), which consist of members who have the common interest on beekeeping activities.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, greatly

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local
• national

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

Tanzania Forest Services Agency, a government agency mandated by the government to supervise sustainable productions of forest and bee products. In this approach, the agency has been strengthened by collaborating with beekeepers who ensure sustainable protection of forest resources as well as production of bee products. Also, the local government around the area where beekeeping approach is undertaken has been strengthened through livelihood improvement of the community.

Specify type of support:

• financial
• capacity building/ training

Give further details:

The Tanzania Forest Fund provides technical and financial support to beekeeping groups which have written up projects upon their call on project write ups, specifically on beekeeping and forest conservation. Modern beekeeping skills and techniques are offered to beekeepers by government agencies/institutions that are related to beekeeping and marketing.

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Beekeeping activities can be monitored and evaluated through the data base containing a register of beekeepers and their productions.

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

Yes

Comments:

The documentation which is currently undertaken provides data on the number of bee hives possessed by individual beekeepers, productions of bee products, climatic conditions. Hence, it can be used to assess and monitor the approach with all the details in it.

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

No

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• 2,000-10,000

Comments (e.g. main sources of funding/ major donors):

- Own source/savings of beekeepers
- Financial institutions
- Government grants

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify type(s) of support, conditions, and provider(s):

Technical support from one financial institution within the community, (National Microfinance Bank); which supported 2 beekeeping groups with 50 modern beehives for each group and protective cloths for increased production of bee products.

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

• equipment

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

Comments:

Labour by beekeeper and household members who supported was voluntary, as it does not involve funds or returns.

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify:

Existence of a project that works on this community, dealing with the beekeeping value chain activities, from production to harvesting of bee products promotes and ensures sustainable productions of bee products with quality adherence.

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

Beekeepers use locally available materials for undertaking their beekeeping activities from hives construction to honey processing.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Provides sources of income to the family through the produced bee products.
Access to bee products which are used as food, medicines and sale as industrial ingredients of various products.
Pollination of crops when practicing on-farm beekeeping.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Effective means of conservation of trees and natural resources.
Ensures livelihoods improvements through diversified sources of household income.
A way of maintaining the traditional/cultural practices that have been practiced from previous generations.

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Climatic changes which affects beekeeping production.	Beekeepers should be capacitated with skills on how to adapt to climate changes for assured production.
Encroachments by illegal human activities in potential areas for beekeeping affecting productions.	Protections of forest and bee reserves should be strengthened so as to ensure bee feed availability.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Women participation in beekeeping productions within the value chain is still very low as compared to men.	Promote on-farm beekeeping to women so that they can also participate in the production of bee products. Women should be influenced to participate on beekeeping activities.
Lack of enough capital by beekeepers for upscaling beekeeping practices in a modern way.	Linking beekeepers to markets that will assure them good income and profit generation so to expand their activities and apply modern tools such as hives for increased productions.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

HONEYBEE MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS

URL:

https://extension.psu.edu/honey-bee-management-throughout-the-seasons