Gayaza Organic Beekeeping Project
This project aims to assist at least 50 farmers in Butikiro and Kiyuni villages in Gayaza sub-county, Kiboga district, especially women, elderly people, the youth and progressive farmers to engage in beekeeping as a major income-generating activity and a key sustainable livelihoods strategy. It responds directly to the needs expressed by farmers in the project area during the participatory appraisal meetings that were held at Kiyuni and Butikro in January and February 2009.
Currently most local people in the project area still rely on hunting for honey from the wild bee colonies (in tree trunks, rocks or anthills). A few farmers are engaged in beekeeping using traditional and rudimentary methods. They lack of access to modern beehives, protective wear, honey harvesting equipment and other inputs and also lack the technical know-how of modern bee husbandry methods. Furthermore, farmers lack of access to competitive markets. Most of the honey and other apiculture products are sold unprocessed at very low prices and as a result they are not receiving a fair share of the actual market value. This project aims at assisting farmers to address some of the above challenges.
So far two apiaries have been set up (with only 30 langstroth beehives) at Butikiro and Kiyuni villages on land provided by the local community. There is need to fully develop the two apiaries with at least 100 beehives each to make the project economically viable.
The project will provide at least 200 modern beehives to the 50 farmers. as well as 3 smokers, 3 bee suits and 2 honey extractors (centrifuge machines). It will also organise two training workshops on apiary management and honey extraction, packaging and markteting and also provide technical extension support and advise. Information materials (including brochures, posters and technical guidebooks) on beekeeping will be distributed and information on available markets and marketing channels for honey and other apiculture products will be researched and made available to the farmers.
It is expected that by the end of the project, average household incomes of the participating farmers will have doubled, food security enhanced and nutrition improved. Ultimately, more than 500 people will benefit directly or indirectly from the project.
| Gayaza Organic Beekeeping Project in Kiboga District |