Hadzabe Honey

Kipamba Village, Singida, Tanzania

OUTREACH through beekeeping, from one village to another…

In addition to our central beekeeping project in Ololosokwan Village, Maasai Honey also has a satellite project in Kipamba Village, Singida, Tanzania. Members of this remote village belong to the Hadzabe tribe, a minority group among the many tribes of Tanzania. The group has become known for their expert primitive skills and ability to live off of nature. In fact, they are one of the last hunter gatherer tribes on the planet.

Their lifestyle comes from a mix of cultural traditions and survival demands that arose from the tribe’s remote location. They live in the lands around Lake Eyasi, a region still dominated by forests and secluded from distant cities. By settling in this region, the tribe aligned their lifestyle with the surrounding nature, developing skills for life in the wild. Still, these days the Hadzabe are not immune to the demands of modern societies; they face challenges of sending children to school, sourcing enough food, and maintaining rights to their land.

Recognizing the challenges and development struggles faced by the Hadzabe people, Maasai Honey formed a partnership with Dr. Parseko V. Kone, former Regional Commissioner of the Singida region and advocate for the Hadzabe tribe. Together they recognized beekeeping education as a valuable tool for sustainable development - a project that could provide villagers a renewable resource to help the tribe meet their basic needs.

Since 2016 Maasai Honey has been providing beekeeping trainings for the Hadzabe people, even sending a resident beekeeper to Kipamba Village for 2 years in order to develop beekeeping activities. Through ongoing trainings and equipment donations, their honey production and beekeeping abilities have grown immensely. The villagers have been extremely pleased with their increasing honey harvests, as both an important food source and a tool for economic empowerment.

Although the remote location of the village provides transportation challenges, Maasai Honey also supports Kipamba Village beekeepers by providing market access for their honey. In this way, the Hadzabe people are able to make an income through honey production, supporting their financial needs for survival in the modern world. Their honey is a unique reflection of their natural environment where bees forage from marula trees, baobab, and variety of acacia species.