Bee farming takes root in Copperbelt rural
...as Bee Sweet Scheme set to distribute 3,000 hives
By GETHSEMANE MWIZABI
“BEE farming is a good source of income. It has helped me buy fertiliser,” says Getrude Toto, of Mandala Village in Mpongwe District.
Mrs Toto started bee farming last year in December and so far she has had one harvest and is excitedly looking forward to the next season so that she gets more money to support her four school-going children.
Many villagers are beginning to appreciate bee farming as a socio-economic activity and this is so real in Copperbelt rural where more than 600 bee farmers have been empowered with free beehives and swarm-boxes under a beekeeping scheme called Bee Sweet.
The scheme covers four rural districts namely Luanshya, Masaiti, Mpongwe and Ndola and the purpose is to empower small-scale farmers in rural areas so that they can raise their socio-economic status.
“I am happy, I don’t have to work so hard to make money,” said Mrs Toto who is a proud owner of three beehives and several swarm-boxes.
Her responsibility is to clean up the area where the hives are placed once in a while.
Honey is harvested two times a year. The more beehives a farmer has, the more the honey and the more income.
After farmers harvest the honey, they sell it per kilogramme to the Bee Sweet scheme.
Workers from the scheme go round villages buying honey produced from the beehives they provided to villagers.
Historically, bark hiving is the traditional technique that has been used to harvest honey in Zambia. The villagers harvest the honey in trees that the bees have naturally formed into hives.
The trees are usually destroyed in the process.
This has proved unsustainable for the forests and results in inconsistent harvests for the villagers.
The scheme has however introduced the environmental friendly, beehives that have a life span of more than 20 years. They are made of timber and are a first of their kind in Zambia.
“It depends on how you use them. You don’t have to cut trees all the time to have honey. We are cautious about climate change,’’ said Bee Sweet project coordinator Horst Wendorf.
Mr Wendorf is an expert in bee farming who has worked in several countries training villagers.
Bee farming has a great future in Zambia due to the great potential in the Miombo woodlands. It protects the woodlands because the beekeepers and the bees rely on the trees (where the nectar is coming from) and would protect them from being chopped down.
The demand for natural honey without contamination by pesticides or other chemicals is ever increasing worldwide while the bees in developed countries are steadily decreasing and disappearing because of environmental problems and new occurring diseases and symptoms like CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder).
In Zambia at present, there are feral (untamed) bee swarms roaming in the Miombo woodlands in their natural habitat.
“I believe there are enough bees around to produce tonnes of honey,” Mr Wendorf said.
However, queen rearing and queen breeding techniques which are common and practiced in all developed countries would be options for the future to further enhance genetic material and expansion of honey production.
As for the rural farmers on the Copperbelt, they would soon realise an income for themselves.
With new ways of bee farming being introduced, villagers are being discouraged to use bark hives, which contribute to deforestation.
Through a grant from the German government that was given to the project recently, the process of creating a substantial honey business is under way.
“We are targeting the European Union (EU) and American market,” he said.
The grant has funded the creation and building of 3,000 state of the art swarm boxes and hives. These hives are being constructed in the woodworking factory at Kafakumba.
This has provided dozens of jobs necessary to build these hives and swarm boxes. The hives are being distributed to families in the most outlying parts of the country.
Some of the families are suffering from extreme poverty hence the bee farming scheme could improve their socio-economic status.
Apart from providing villagers with bee hive and swam boxes, the villagers are also trained on how to manage and harvest honey.
It goes without saying the business is sustainable and provides a solid economic reason for the villagers to preserve the natural forests.
“I am happy I am able to have money through this project. It’s a decent business venture,” said Luckson Phiri, a father of eight children and four grandchildren.
He is among the beneficiaries with five beehives and several swarm boxes spread around his land.
Last November, he harvested 20kg of honey and he hopes to double the kilograms in the next harvesting season.
“I need more bee hives to generate more income. There is so much I can do and realise out of this business,” Mr Phiri of Luanguni Village in Mpongwe.
Beekeeping is an ideal small-scale income generating activity, as there is a ready market for honey, wax and other bee products both locally and abroad.
It is a sustainable activity as it requires little cost inputs and little space. It can be practised on small farms, as bees do not compete with livestock for space or food.
Unlike agriculture, beekeeping does not require good soil. It can be practicsd on poor soils and in remote areas.
Further, it has positive ecological consequences, as bees play a vital role in pollination of many flowering plants and crops, thus increasing the yield of major food crops such as beans, melons, sunflower and various fruits.
Swarm boxes are needed for catching swarms. They are usually suspended in the trees at a height between 3-5 metres and baited inside with bees wax. Bees would then occupy the box at a time, particularly during the swarming period and in the rainy season. After the bees have started drawing out combs and the queen has started laying eggs, the swarm-box would be transferred together with bees into the new hive.
So far, more than 1,000 beehives have been distributed to small-scale farmers across the Copperbelt region.
“We work with village beekeepers in the tropics to increase their income and small- scale producers,” said BeeKeeping Coordinator Edwin Lunda.
After the honey is collected from farmers, it is then refined at Kafakumba in the Baluba area of Ndola where it is processed and packaged in readiness for the market.
Ultimately, many villagers in Copperbelt rural are realising the value of bee farming.
The Bee Sweet scheme is adding value to the lives of villagers most of whom have had socio-economic struggles.
With this robust project on course, things are changing for the better.
Labels: BEES, COPPERBELT PROVINCE, HONEY
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Beekeeping can contribute to poverty alleviation
By Shingai Jena
THE emphasis on minerals as the key to economic growth appears to be taking away the focus of planners and investors from opportunities that other natural resources in the country can contribute to poverty alleviation.
While an attempt is being made to improve livelihoods of rural communities through the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources, its bias on wild life, particularly elephants, is also relegating the impact that other natural resources can make in poverty alleviation.
With the advent of agrarian reforms, emphasis has again been on land tillage and not exploitation of other natural resources.
Since independence, Zimbabwe has been striving to reduce poverty among the previously marginalised black majority so that it can live up to its former status of being the "land of milk and honey".
This has, however, proved to be a tall order as wealth disparities have continued to dog the nation despite the vast natural resources that the country has, which are the envy of many.
Many foreigners who have visited the country have fallen in love with Zimbabwe.
While it might be true that at one time the country was a land of milk and honey, today there is nothing to prove it, as the national herd has dwindled and the trees where bees made honey have either fallen to the axe or gone up in flames.
Folklore has it that African men used to woo women with honey which they collected from hills near the villages where they lived.
In those days, being able to collect honey was a sign of brevity and innovation as it required great skill since one risked getting a swollen face from bee stings.
Honey was known to have a unique way of winning hearts of women as it "sweetened" the tongue, whatever that meant.
Today, in addition to being a tongue sweetener, honey has the potential to change the lives of rural communities through practising modern methods of keeping bees, harvesting, processing and marketing.
The idea of beekeeping as a means of alleviating poverty was conceived as way back as 1992 when the country was implementing the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme when Zimbabwe was hit by drought.
In order to overcome effects of the devastating drought, some concerned individuals who included Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Olivia Muchena founded the Zimbabwe Farmers Development Trust with the view to identify low cost projects of alleviating poverty and agreed on beekeeping.
ZDFT executive director, Tichasiyana Mapondera, said beekeeping was agreed on because of its minimum funding requirements since it uses readily available natural resources such as land, trees and the bees.
At inception, the project targeted small-scale farmers as well as rural communities in and around the Hurungwe district of Mashonaland West province as a pilot project.
To date it has been launched in more than 25 districts in the country.
However, withdrawal of support by the W.K. Kellogg foundation which provided funding for producing modern beekeeping materials has hampered progress as plans were underway to spread the project to other parts of the country.
"We urgently need a US$100 000 cash injection to facilitate further training programmes and remuneration of staff who train and manufacture beekeeping equipment," said Mapondera.
The funding required is small compared to the profits that farmers generate per year from honey production.
With raw honey going for up to US$2 per kilogramme, a small-scale farmer with an average of 100 modern Kenyan top bar hives which produce at least 30 kilogrammes each of raw honey and are harvested four times a year, earns at least US$6 000 per quarter.
In Buhera, there are more than 300 communal farmers involved in beekeeping who, when harvests are good, produce up to 1, 2 tonnes per quarter, which translates into a gross total of income of US$1 million a year.
With such impressive figures, words such as destitute and unemployed would cease to exist in the Zimbabwean vocubulary.
Taking into consideration that workers in the country are earning on average US$150 per month, rural folk would not find any reason to envy their relatives in urban areas who toil the whole month to get paid.
Besides the economic benefits it would bring to individual farmers, beekeeping would also benefit the pharmaceutical industry as honey is a key raw material in the manufacture cough medicines while other companies use it to cosmetics including soap and hair products. While legendary boxer Muhammad Ali described himself as someone who "flew like a butterfly and stung like a bee," Zimbabwe can regain its status as the "land of milk and honey" through exploiting the insect that stings to operate income-generating projects and eliminate poverty. — New Ziana.
Labels: BEES, HONEY
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State to market Zambian honey abroad
By NKWETO MFULA
GOVERNMENT says it will market Zambian honey on the European market since the market has proved to be one of the fastest growing ones. Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Felix Mutati said in an interview in Kitwe at the just-ended 52nd Copperbelt Mining, Agriculture and Commercial Show that honey producers were adding more value to their products.
He said the packaging of the product had improved as compared to some years back. Mr Mutati was optimistic that honey would continue penetrating the European market in bigger volumes as it met the required standards.
Mr Mutati said Government would encourage stakeholders through capacity building for continued growth.
He cited Mwinilunga Honey Producers that were being grouped together for them to meet the growing demand for honey and increase output.
He said beekeepers were also making local honey wine, which was being sold on the local market.
“Government officials will be travelling to Italy for a meeting in June and we intend to carry with us samples of honey to show to that market because Europe is one of the major consumers of the product,” he said.
He said the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) was assisting small-scale entrepreneurs to get to know various markets for their merchandise.
Mr Mutati said ZDA was also linking stakeholders with other organisations to help improve packaging and to find a market for their products.
“This is the reason why ZDA has accommodated the SMEs in their shelter during this year’s show,” he said.
Mr Mutati said his ministry would work with other line ministries and institutions in promoting SMEs, especially honey producers.
He said 75 percent of employment in Zambia was created by the small and medium-scale businesses.
The minister said the sector was contributing towards employment creation and required support from all stakeholders.
He further urged SMEs to come up with strategic plans that would enhance the growth of the industry.
Labels: FELIX MUTATI, HONEY, SMEs
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HCZ attributes low honey output to poor flowering
By Fridah Zinyama
Tuesday June 17, 2008 [04:00]
THIS year's honey production has been affected due to poor flowering, Honey Council of Zambia (HCZ) coordinator Bill Kalaluka has said. In an interview, Kalaluka said the heavy rains that the country experienced this farming season had affected the flowering process, leading to a reduction in honey production.
“When the flowering process is not very good, production is normally affected,” he said.
Kalaluka said there was demand for organic honey on the international market but the honey sector in Zambia did not have the capability to meet that demand.
Earlier, Kalaluka said the locally produced honey was failing to compete with imported products because it was poorly packaged and lacked standardisation.
“The local honey producers have been facing the challenge to properly package their products. This has affected our sales and hence the need to improve the standards,” he said.
There has been growing demand for honey on the international market especially the organic kind that Zambia produces.
Kalaluka explained that a lot of honey had been going to waste because it was not well harvested and was poorly packaged.
“And even as we want to talk about penetrating the export market, we should first satisfy the local market which at the moment is not being supplied with high quality honey. The fact that imported honey from countries like South Africa and Germany is finding its way into the local market, simply indicates there is a big market for honey locally," he said.
And the cropping of organic honey in Kabompo district has been adversely affected by the invasion of caterpillars in the area.
The caterpillars that invaded the area early this year resulted in thousands of beehives being deserted by bees.
North-Western Beekeepers Association spokesperson, Timothy Kalubi, said the target which had been projected could not be met due to the invasion.
He observed that the cropping of honey, which began in May, started at a low pace though an estimated 6, 750 beekeepers were involved in the activity.
Kalubi said the low production of honey by beekeepers in the district would have severe effects on the household economy of local people particularly beekeepers and that the wax industry risked being affected too.
Labels: HCZ, HONEY
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Bwalya urges promotion of honey products
By Joan Chirwa
Thursday May 01, 2008 [04:00]
HONEY products need strong promotional plans in order to gain domestic and regional market recognition in the highly competitive global market, chief economist in the Ministry of Commerce Lillian Bwalya has said. Launching the ZHC Quality Assurance Mark (QAM) for honey products in Zambia, Bwalya said adhering to product quality guarantee would increase Zambia’s chances of penetrating regional markets for honey.
“I wish to emphasise the fact that we are now living in a highly competitive global market. In this regard, a guarantee of product quality should be adhered to,” Bwalya said.
“As you may be aware, honey packers are improving packaging and products standards that, among others, increase domestic as well as regional market sales at higher prices.”
Bwalya said improved marketability of Zambian produced honey should increase incomes of beekeepers in the country.
“The Quality Assurance Mark will of course enrich the processors by raising their required incomes,” Bwalya said.
“We expect that the improved marketability of Zambian honey with the ZHC Quality Assurance Mark will also enable the honey processors to pay more for the quality honey produced by the beekeepers in this country. Government has since taken deliberate steps to promote export trade in general and composition of non-traditional exports (NTEs).”
The ZHC early this year entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zambia Bureau of Standards in an effort to highlight issues of transparency over the inspection of the processing plants for honey processors and packers. This will be done in accordance with the agreed standard terms as highlighted in the MoU between the two institutions.
“I wish to mention to you, therefore, that there is need for the beekeepers to adopt best field practices that will provide quality honey of marketable standards for the domestic as well as the regional markets. When value addition is made to the products, jobs will also be created, hence contributing to wealth of our economy,” said Bwalya.
Labels: HONEY, LILLIAN BWALYA, QAM, QUALITY ASSURANCE
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Add value to honey, advises consultant
By Joan Chirwa
Friday December 21, 2007 [03:00]
Zambia can earn a lot of foreign exchange from its honey owing to the product’s high quality, an agricultural marketing consultant Alex Price has said. Price, who is winding up his consultancy work with the Small
Holder Enterprise and Marketing Programme Agribusiness Development Component (SHEMP-ADC), said adding value to locally produced honey could enhance its competitiveness on the international market.
“There is a lot coming from the forests in Zambia. This country is among the producers of the best honey in the world and a lot of money can be earned if we do a little more in terms of adding value to the product,” Price said.
“What we need to develop is a strong honey sector that can add to the country’s economic growth.”
And Zambia Honey Council (ZHC) coordinator Bill Kalaluka said locally produced honey was facing stiff competition from imported products.
“There is still a lot of honey coming from other countries onto the local market,” Kalaluka said.
“It is important therefore that we try as much as we can to support the honey sector so that there can be well packaged and high quality honey being sold to the people.”
Kalaluka further said the honey council was looking at establishing sufficient bulking centres for honey producers to avoid wastage.
“Bulking centres are very important because beekeepers will be having their honey kept at the centres for collection by the packers,” said Kalaluka.
And Price said the short message service (SMS) market information system of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) had become so popular among the local farmers.
A number of farmers are now able to access prices of different agricultural commodities via their mobile phones.
Honey was recently added on SMS market information system, meaning honey producers can now link themselves to a number of buyers across the country using their mobile phones to enquire about the prevailing prices on the local market.
Labels: HONEY
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Honey added to SMS market information system of ZNFU
By Joan Chirwa
Monday September 10, 2007 [04:00]
LOCALLY produced honey has now been added to the short message service (SMS) market information system of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU). This means honey producers in the country can now link themselves to a number of buyers across the country by sending a message on their mobile phones to enquire about the prevailing prices on the local market.
Zambia Honey Council national coordinator Bill Kalaluka said the inclusion of honey on the ZNFU SMS market information system would offer producers a chance to search for buyers offering better prices on the market.
“The Zambia Honey Council is pleased to announce that bee-keepers can now access current honey prices by named buyer via the Zambia National Farmers Union’s 4455 SMS Market Information Service,” Kalaluka said. “This development will help bee-keepers to put more money in their pockets.”
Using a Celtel phone, honey producers could simply send a message to 4455, after which, a reply would be sent stipulating current prices by a named buyer in the form of a buyer code.
“There are ten buyers currently quoting honey prices on the service. The ZNFU 4455 SMS Market Information Service will help traders and processors to reduce their transport costs by putting them in touch with bee-keepers who have honey for sale. Similarly, bee-keepers will benefit by getting the best prices available in the market,” Kalaluka said.
“The Honey Council appreciates the support it is receiving from the Small Holder Enterprise and Marketing Programme Agribusiness Development Component (SHEMP-ADC) and ZNFU. This has made the Honey Council provide tangible commercial benefits to its membership, both bee-keepers and traders or processors.”
ZNFU, with the help of SHEMP-ADC developed the cellphone-based commodity marketing information system to help smallholder farmers to access better markets.
The two institutions said the project sought to help reverse the exploitation of smallholder farmers by availing them details of who was offering the best prices for their commodities.
Labels: HONEY, ZNFU
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