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Page 4 of 8 Reid. Microbiome Res Rep 2024;3:10 https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/mrr.2023.46

African bees are different from North American and European types, being more aggressive and less
susceptible to Varroa mites. In essence, they tend to be more wild types rather than bred in hives by
[25]
beekeepers. They produce less honey but are effective pollinators . Of those that are used commercially,
hives are often hung on greased wires. Their contribution to the value chain is not only in pollination but
also in the production of honey, candles, and creams.

To attract and promote wild and commercial bee health, sunflowers could be grown around the pastures
and insectary plants such as vegetables, herbs, and flowers could promote beneficial insects over pathogenic
[26]
ones .
Supplementation of hives with probiotics has been successfully tested in North America. A three-strain
probiotic counters Paenibacillus larvae (deadly bacterial pathogen) and Varroa destructor (ectoparasitic
mite) [27,28] . Whether these strains would be effective in Tanzania requires research, as does the potential to
spray probiotic strains into the flower pollen as a means to deliver them to the bees.

EXPANSION
The number of microenterprises in the Fiti industry in the Mwanza region has grown to around 80 over the
past twenty years, and along with others across the country, they cater to over 100,000 consumers . In order
[3]
to retain these units and expand across the region and country, several things are worth exploring in
addition to education, product expansion, and the improvement of soil discussed above.

The well-being of cattle could be improved in two ways: firstly, by granting them access to pastures
abundant in grass, and secondly, by providing them with fermented foods. Corn and barley silage and
alfalfa haylage are common fermented forages for cows in North America with benefits to manure
[29]
spreading and soil health, perennial growth, pollinator proliferation, and carbon sequestration . The
fermentation process increases nutrients, improves digestion, and can result in higher milk yields depending
[30]
on the composition of the silage . Consumption of fermented feed also improves the reproductive
performance and overall health of the cows. Since the microenterprises are already fermenting milk,
vegetables, grains, and fruit for human use, the addition of animal-targeted ferments would expand the
business and foster sustainability.

Another means of expansion is through the management of water. In the rainy season, the water is not
collected on farms but tends to simply flow along paths, roadways, and eventually into drainage systems. By
pooling it in a retention pond, the farmers could utilize it to irrigate crops in the dry season. To avoid it
becoming a source of mosquito replication, dried pellets of Bacillus thuringiensis could be added to the
water, killing the larvae .
[31]

Households could also retain water from rooftops, a practice used in Bermuda because of the limestone
available there. Without piped water, adults and children frequently have to travel to wells to obtain water
for household and microenterprise use, thereby having less time to produce fermented food, the revenue
from which helps with schooling and healthcare.

With women-led networks providing advice and assistance with book-keeping, positioning and marketing
of products and helping to solve production issues, a system that links the microenterprises via cell phones
is being explored. This enables shared experiences and collaboration.