Zanzibar Communities Turn Beekeeping into a Climate Action Opportunity

The Integrated Mangroves conservation and beekeeping initiative in Bumbwini, Zanzibar, has demonstrated how climate action, environmental conservation and sustainable livelihoods can go hand in hand, as local communities take practical steps to protect forests while creating new sources of income.

The initiative, implemented under the Zanzibar Joint Programme (ZJP), brings together the Government of Zanzibar, the United Nations under the leadership of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and local communities to strengthen climate resilience and promote sustainable natural-resource management. The ZJP is funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dar es Salaam through the Tanzania SDG Acceleration Fund.

Speaking in Bumbwini, North Unguja, during an event involving local beekeepers, Minister of State in the Office of the First Vice President, Hon. Hamza Hassan Juma, called on communities to strengthen their efforts to address climate change and environmental degradation.

He emphasized the importance of community participation in protecting forests, planting trees and adopting sustainable livelihoods that reduce pressure on natural resources.

“Communities have an important role to play in addressing climate change and environmental degradation,” the Minister noted, stressing the need for continued collaboration between government, communities and development partners.

The initiative has supported local beekeepers with 55 modern beehives, honey-processing equipment and practical knowledge to improve beekeeping and honey production. Beyond income generation, beekeeping provides a strong incentive for communities to conserve trees and forests, since healthy ecosystems are essential for bees and honey production. Through the ZJP, the UN has implemented a wide range of activities involving communities, including forest management, beekeeping and climate action.

UNEP Head of Office in Tanzania, Clara Makenya, highlighted the importance of such community-based approaches in tackling climate change. She highlighted that the UN is supporting programmes that connect environmental conservation with livelihoods, enabling communities to benefit economically while protecting the ecosystems on which they depend.

“Environmental conservation is increasingly becoming an integral part of development planning. We are working with communities to address climate change while promoting sustainable management of forests and other natural resources,” Makenya said. “We are grateful to the Government and people of Norway for their generous contribution to the Zanzibar Joint Programme, which is helping us turn our shared development priorities into tangible impact at the community level,” she added.

The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President, Maryam Abdalla Saadala, also underscored the importance of strengthening community forest management and promoting beekeeping as an income-generating activity. She called for continued training to improve beekeeping practices and the quality and value of honey produced.

For local beekeepers, the initiative represents more than the provision of equipment. It offers an opportunity to transform environmental stewardship into a sustainable livelihood.

In Kaskazini Unguja, the program has advanced community-led mangrove conservation and modern beekeeping as sustainable livelihood pathways. Key achievements include baseline assessments, development of integrated training materials, training of 70 beekeepers and mangrove custodians, cross-learning exchanges with mainland cooperatives, and introduction of digital monitoring systems for nurseries and beehives.

Community and district-level equipment support has strengthened local ownership and sustainability of these initiatives.

The program also supported gender-responsive land-use planning through Village Land Use Plans, establishing participatory governance mechanisms involving 20 district leaders and supporting consensus-building processes that guide environmentally sustainable land management for nearly 11,000 people in Bumbwini Makoba, Mafufuni, and Kiongwe Kidogo.

By encouraging communities to maintain trees and forests, modern beekeeping can contribute to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and climate resilience while providing households with an additional source of income.

The experience in Bumbwini demonstrates the value of locally led climate action: when communities are supported with knowledge, appropriate technologies and economic opportunities, protecting nature can become part of everyday livelihoods.

As Zanzibar continues to respond to the impacts of climate change, initiatives such as this show that environmental protection need not be separated from economic opportunity. Healthy forests support bees; healthy bees support livelihoods; and empowered communities can become powerful partners in building a climate-resilient Zanzibar.