Beekeeping improves rural incomes

Vincent Hakizimana, Twitekunzuki Beekeeping Group Founder, Kigali, Rwanda

Cooperatives and Unions

Successful agricultural value chains retain coordination amongst all key actors and build the capacity of producers at the micro-level. Surrounding Nyungwe National Park (NNP) in Rwanda, communities utilise the abundant natural cooperatives to sell their harvests of resources and the flow of tourism for livelihoods. Located in the southwestern region, NNP attracts both residential and international visitors. Beekeeping has been practised for generations, however, only recently have beekeepers organised into cooperatives and unions to allow themselves and the park to prosper. Established in 2010, the Ubwiza bwa Nyungwe Beekeeper Union (UBNBU) is a partnership of 15 beekeeping cooperatives located in the buffer zone around NNP. The Union offers a variety of services to its members, while also acting as a sales channel for

honey and other value-added bee products, for example beeswax candles and pure beeswax.

Good quality beeswax harvested and processed from a training session with the cooperatives

Vincent Hakizimana

Impact of beekeeping

Before 1994 little consideration was taken of the biodiversity within NNP. There were many illegal activities - bushfires, mining, poaching, snares and tree cutting - and beekeepers were often targeted as those damaging NNP.

Local style 3,018

Top-bar 268

Frame 175

Total 3,461

Since 1994 beekeeping methods have changed with beekeepers organised into associations and cooperatives seen to undertake beekeeping professionally as a revenue generating activity. Beekeepers receive training on techniques, equipment and hives and infrastructures to build on their skills from their parents’ heritage. The Union is using top-bar hives in addition to local style and frame hives.

The table (right) demonstrate the gross income for beekeepers over two years (2020-2021) from honey harvest (11.50 and 20.84 tonnes respectively). Income increased because:

• Beekeepers started feeding colonies during dearth periods so many more were saved than previously.

• A diversity of hives (including top-bar hives) were introduced into the community through improved knowledge received through information in Bees for Development Journal.

• There was support from the Wildlife Conservation Society Rwanda Programme for the purchase and distribution of top-bar hives and beekeeping equipment, capacity building for bee farmers in different beekeeping domains, infrastructure for improving quality and storing and marketing of honey.

• Improving beekeepers’ knowledge in respect of apiary management, bee biology and behaviour, bee product processing and marketing, bee species and race, biodiversity, conservation and forest livelihoods, economy and melliferous flora and pollination.

• Motivating beekeepers to join existing beekeeping cooperatives and unions through training, and sensitisation on the importance of biodiversity, conservation and protection.

• Awareness of weather conditions and environmental resources which are beneficial (or not) for honey bees.

Top-bar hives delivered for Coabisetwu Cooperative

Vincent Hakizimana

Socio-economic conditions

Beekeeping has helped to reduce illegal activities in NNP and communities are involved in management and forest restoration. Honey bees have enabled NNP trees and other plants to reproduce fertile fruit and seeds for future generation of plants through pollination.

Top-bar hives delivered for Coabisetwu Cooperative

Inspection of top-bar hives

Vincent Hakizimana