UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM CENTRE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE STUDIES

ECHO EAST AFRICA 5th BIENNIAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE BEST PRACTICES

Implication of climate change and variability on

Beekeeping in Tanzania

Naura Springs Hotel, Arusha, Tanzania 12th – 14th February 2019

Malisa G.G (PhD Research Student UDSM)

Beekeeping in Tanzania • Tanzania forest area cover 48.1 million hectares representing

53% of the total country surface area which is 945,203 sq. km (Mwakalukwa E.E, 2016).

• Out of 48.1million hectares of forests, 39,811ha. are bee reserves 37,794.1ha and 2126.9ha are Village bee reserves and national bee reserves respectively.

• The number of beekeepers in the country cannot be said with certainty. It is estimated to be one million beekeepers.

• Over 90% are using bark and log hives, characterized with low productivity (7 kg/hive). Less than 10% are using top bar or frame hives (10 kg/hive).

• Production of honey and beeswax is low compared with potential areas suitable for beekeeping (Only 13.8% is tapped out of the production capacity).

• Production potential is estimated at 138,000 metric tons (19,000 annually) of honey and 9,200 metric tons of beeswax per year (700) (Ibid).

CC &CV

• Climate change is a change in the usual weather:

• Rainfall

• Temperature

• Seasonality

• Extreme weather events (floods, droughts….)

• Climate change occurs in different scale from region to global

• Climate change impact to all nature, organisms and human worldwide

• Changing climate is predicted to have a wide range of impacts on ecosystem functioning.

According to Klein et al. 2007, 35% of agricultural crops and wild plants depend on honeybees’ pollination and 84% of cultivated plant species respectively (William, 1996).

• In this context, •Achieving global food security remains a key challenge. •Population increases •Dietary shifts •Climate change.

Research Gap

• There is clear evidence of recent declines in both wild and domesticated pollinators (Apis mellifera).

• Drivers of pollinator loss, including:-

• Habitat loss and fragmentation • Agrochemicals • Pathogens • Alien species • Climate change

Vulnerability

of beekeeping

Impact of CC&CV on honey bee’s productivity. • Foraging

• Reproduction

• Distribution.

• Habitats: Plants as nectar and pollen sources, availability of forage and water

• Parasites and Pathogens: Mites (Varroa destructor, Small Hive Beettle, Wax Moth

• Predators: Birds, and animals, etc

• Pesticides and Fungicides, Herbicides

• Social-Economic Factors: Agricultural system, Land use, Policy, Social perception

Colony starvation and retard bee forage activities

Climate change brings about extremes in weather condition e.g. high wind, dampness, frost, drought, humidity, high temperature and flooding.

Climatic factor Effect on honey production

Low rainfall Low production

Moderate

rainfall

High production (350mm - 700mm) (Poole et al., 1992).

High rainfall Low production > 700mm (Poole et al., 1992).

High

temperature

Low production > 330C (Cooper, Schaffer 1985; Al-Qarni 2006; Blazyte-Cereskiene et al., 2010)

Low

temperature

Low production < 100C (Joshi, Joshi 2010)

Moderate temperature

High production 220C – 310C

Moderate wind High production

Coldness and dampness

Low production

Amount of Rainfall/mm/year verses production of Honey in kg per year from 2001 to 2013

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

year Honey (kg) Rainfall/mm/yr

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Rai

nfa

ll/m

m/y

r

Years Rainfall/mm/yr Linear (Rainfall/mm/yr)

Amount of rainfall from Kiteto Metrological station

from 1990 to 2013

Challenges

• Low hive productivity, • Lack of functional beekeeping database, • Limited research in bees and beekeeping, • Fire • Pests and predators, • Lack of initial capital for smallholder beekeepers • Poor beekeeping management • Insufficient/no value addition • Packaging materials • Climate change

Adaptation to CC&CV in beekeeping

• Changing their harvesting schedule

• Changing hive hinging style

• Control swarming and unite weaken colonies

• Putting hive in trees shadow

• Use of over-dimensioned wooden hive

• Changing harvesting methods

Adaptation CONT…

• Shift to pollen source/Changing apiary location,

• Making and providing food

• Providing water

• Increasing the number of beehives

• Planting tree

• Use of climate services

We can protect bees

1. Biodiversity: For indigenous species ==Preserve indigenous honeybees

2. Research

3. Habitats

4. Raising awareness of the community about beekeeping

5. Governmental

6. Famers, Beekeepers and Exporters

7. International cooperation in

ON GOING

• Climate change, Agrochemicals on composition and quality of honey in Tanzania

Bee’s management

PARTICIPATION

Aksanteni sana