The County Department of Livestock is intensifying efforts to transform beekeeping among small-holder farmers into an economically viable venture. This has been accomplished by the commissioning of a Masalani-based apiary with a capacity of 90 beehives.
USAID funded Livestock Marketing Systems, LMS (Livestock Marketing Systems) aims to support small-holder farmers as they move into honey production for commercial purposes and create an alternative source income.
The new apiary has been set up by members of the 90 – member strong Gumarey Honey Co-operative Society. Abdullahi Abdi was their chairman and received a donation from LMS of beehives, honey harvesting equipment, and beehives.
“With the frequency of drought cycles and the intensity of the drought, pure pastoralism in the coming years will be unsustainable. We want to encourage our pastoralists to find alternative sources of income to cushion them especially when they lose their animals to drought,” Abdullahi said.
The co-operative members also received first-hand advice on apiary management from Mr. Abdirahim Haji. He is a pioneering commercial bee farmer in the region and runs Felayi Honey Farm at Balich.
He encouraged the members to work hard and make the beehive-keeping venture a success, noting that the venture is profitable when done correctly.
“One beehive can produce 52 kilos of honey with one kilo of honey going for Sh.900. There are 90 beehives that you can harvest honey every two weeks. How much you want to earn, is up to the efforts you put in now,” he said.
Siyat Onle, the Deputy Director of cooperatives, congratulated Siyat Onle on the milestone and urged more youths to join the beekeeping effort in the county. He said it had many benefits.
He acknowledged the contributions of LMS to the training and capacity-building of local cooperatives while acknowledging their enormous support for livelihood-related activities that are meant help the county’s most vulnerable communities.
By Erick Kyalo
Source: kenyanews
