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Clara Mudefi
WHILE people in urban areas generally hate bees for their painful sting, folks in Honde Valley area in Mutasa district have a different tale to tell.A middle aged bee farmer, Jacob Kubari, found pleasure in showcasing how his day is scheduled up when The Manica Post visited his company stand, Nyahari Producers Association, at the recently held Manicaland Agricultural Show.
“I have 74 beehives that I have inserted in the apiary. In order to invite the bees I use wax that is an unwanted honey product. We melt the wax on beehive top bars. Four days after inserting it I then start counting my days as the bees start mounting, from day one up to three months I then start harvesting.
“Just as how pets know their master the same applies to bees. Each time I visit the apiary, I make sure I wear the white overall bee hood and knock the beehive to see if it is ready for harvest. If there is no sound that comes out then its harvest time.
“I use smoke that I first insert in the beehive to make the bees drunk so that they mount to one corner, I take my screw-driver to open the top bars and finally use a knife to cut down the bee combs full of dripping honey. A clever farmer makes sure he or she leaves some for the bees for more production to take place.
“Having the produce now, it is fortunate that in Honde Valley we already have a market for our honey. One beehive produces an average of 15kg of honey, approximately 12kg once processed, selling at $2 per kg. This makes beekeeping a thriving business that can contribute invaluably to a household income,” he said.
“As the chairman of the Nyahari Producers Association, the honey that we sell to local markets is approved by the Standard Association Zimbabwe (SAZ) with 100 percent pure honey going for $2, 50 per bottle,” he added.
This project has transformed lives. Of the 34 members, 20 of them are females.
The number is expected to multiply as one person is expected to teach at list three people.
Beekeeping has a very long tradition in Africa dating back over 5 000 years when beehives were first used for producing honey in ancient Egypt. Beekeeping promotes economic self reliance and for some of the poorest people has become a life sustaining source of income and livelihoods. It is an ecologically and technically appropriate form of income generation for communities in some of the poorest areas of Zimbabwe.
Recognising the value of protecting and conserving forests through beekeeping, Environment Africa initiated and implemented a number of beekeeping projects in various districts within Zimbabwe. One of the communities successfully involved in the programme is in Wedza.
They are fortunate to have the beautiful Miombo Woodlands within their local environment and through Environment Africa’s beekeeping programme have not only managed to uplift their own livelihoods to an economically sustainable level, but they are also now protecting and conserving their local environment.
One of the other initiatives encouraged by Environment Africa which the Wedza community adopted was forming EAG’s (Environmental Action Groups). These EAG’s enabled individual farmers to join together and develop from subsistence beekeeping to commercial markets.
Previously, individual farmers were producing honey which they were selling in unmarked bottles. The honey from the Chigondo EAG was sent for testing to the Standards Association of Zimbabwe and was given full compliance with SAZ349:2004 and the Food Safety Standards Act 2001, assuring consumers that the Chigondo honey they buy can be consumed safely.
Environment Africa have also supported the farmers to build a honey and agro processing centre that processes locally produced honey, peanut butter, sunflower cooking oil among other products and to market these products.
The construction of the Honey and Agro processing Centre will see even non- members selling their products to the centre thus providing an accessible market for the local communities.
The ultimate goal is that the project is a long term sustainable, community-owned business.
By utilising a holistic educational approach, when participants have completed the Environment Africa training, they would have acquired the knowledge and skills to understand the importance and benefits of beekeeping, how to select suitable sites for mounting bee hives, how to construct modern hives from local materials readily accessible, identify and control pests and diseases, manage bees and harvest honey, sustainably market it and by-products for income generation and more importantly conserve forests as the practice of beekeeping is a natural way to discourage local communities from cutting down of trees and burning.
With adequate input and training, local small scale honey production in Zimbabwe could satisfy the local market demands and long term growth and sustainability could lead to export potential.
Honey bee populations have declined dramatically worldwide in the past 10 years due to a number of factors including climate change, human intervention and this has contributed to a global shortage of honey. Zimbabwe is well placed to not only produce its own honey but to explore the export potential of honey. Apiculture is a positive programme that not only contributes to uplifting the livelihoods of rural communities but protects the trees and ultimately contributes to protecting our planet earth.
Online Reporter