THE Environmental Conservation and Agriculture Institute (Agriwezesha) is set to distribute 135 beehives to residents of Kibaha and Kisarawe in Coast Region.

The initiative aims to protect and preserve the local environment, including water sources, specifically Ruvu and Kizinga rivers.

Agriwezesha Director Deogracia Ignas unveiled the plan yesterday during the institute's 5th anniversary celebration, detailing that the beehives will be allocated to nine groups, each consisting of 10 to 15 members.

“These beehives will be part of a demonstration farm for educational purposes and participants will have the opportunity to purchase additional beehives to boost production,” he said.

Ignas highlighted that beneficiaries have already received training, adding that the project’s focus is conservation. The initiative seeks to curb harmful practices such as charcoal production and to promote environmentally-friendly alternatives.

“Our main goal is to promote conservation. In these areas, people often engage in activities that harm the environment. We aim to create opportunities for eco-friendly activities that reduce environmental damage while providing sustainable income sources,” Ignas said.

Chage Alex Chage, Environment Ambassador in the Vice President’s Office, underscored the importance of ongoing environmental conservation to prevent global temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050.

He noted that the current temperature increase has reached 1.2 degrees Celsius and stressed the need for vigilance in managing environmental activities to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

“A temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius could lead to severe consequences such as people struggling to survive which could result in competition for resources or conflicts. This is a distressing scenario that we must work to avoid,” Chage said.