Community Farmer Projects to eliminate poverty?
Uganda produces some of the world’s best honey and there’s not only income in honey production but in the by-products, such as wax and propolis. One of the best things about beekeeping as a business is that it’s a business anyone can manage, men, women, old and young.
In Uganda, honey production potential is enormous, estimated at 500,000 metric tones per year, but this potential has not yet been fully exploited. The Ugandan Beekeepers Association estimates that only between 800-1200 metric tonnes of honey is produced per year due to current lack of bee-stock.
Traditional methods of bee keeping are still predominant in Uganda where it remains an important seasonal activity in many regions. Rural people have a good knowledge of bees, plants and places favored by bees but hives are usually destroyed and colonies often killed in the process of collecting honey.
Despite the diversity of vegetation suitable for bees in the region, a shortage of bees means that beekeepers are dependent on collecting swarming bee stock. The current shortage is also limiting production of honey and by-products for which there is considerable potential
We want to assist the bee farmers in acquiring modern hives and equipment, like a bee suit. With modern hives like a Kenya Top Bar (KTB) hive so that they can do more than double their honey production each year.
We can also be a ready market for them and local farmers here offer competitive prices for honey, propolis and beeswax purchases. There are many farmers beekeeping with the traditional hives with some having more than 100 hives. Yet, many lack a market and lack the transport to get their honey to a market.
We are also offering training on how to use the equipment, on the importance of taming your bees and on effectively harvesting honey.
