Expansion of deforested areas and pollution in Tanzania’s Arusha region have contributed to a drastic reduction of the high-yielding, naturally-occurring stingless bee honey in hives within dry tree trunks, bushes, trees, and holes in the ground.
Living in difficult conditions, a group of women from the village of Ngurdoto, located on the slopes of Mount Meru, have organized themselves into an association called Umangu, and decided to reintroduce the production of this honey in the region.
They are now the primary producers of Arusha stingless bee honey, known locally as nyori, which is harvested in January, February, and, depending on the season, in October as well. Traditional hives made with hollow trunk sections (which have previously been inhabited with swarms of bees) are typically hung from the roofs of houses, on fences, or from tall papaya, mango, and avocado trees before they are cut open to collect the honey. Read more
The bees that produce the honey are big, black stingless bees (Meloponini) that love to feast on various flowers, mainly from the Oleaceae, Proteceae, Plantaginaceae, and Eucalyptus families, yielding a nutritious, multi-flower honey. Renowned for its curative properties, the honey has a liquid consistency, while the flavors are sweet, tart, citrusy, and floral.
A manual press and gauze filters are used to separate the honey from the wax and impurities before it's poured into jars and ready to be sold. Arusha stingless bee honey is commonly used to sweeten milk, tea, maize, or millet porridge. Other typical products include propolis, a medicinal cream, and unguent.
