Beekeeping Projects of Honey Care Africa

Beekeeping Projects of Honey Care Africa Kitui, Kenya Correspondent: For centuries beekeepers in Africa have masters the tricks of their elite trade fire lighting and hanging hollow wooden log high, high up in the trees a key skill so is a head for heights but with these new soft bee friendly suits and easy to use smoker and ground level hive beekeeping is taking of throughout Kenya. For low income farmers its another way to earn extra money of valuable safety net when crops fail. Honey Money41 Correspondent: They new technique also encourage women to become beekeepers. Joyce Mutunga: Before it was not seen the ladies to take up beekeeping because the hives were so high up in the trees and it wasn’t dignified for us to climb up but now we’re doing it because the high or low the activity while standing on our feet.. Kambua Peter: Its good yeah we make money we have to get from Sarawak so noone can tell your not good to do the work so even when you see somewhere they’ll get the money without. For you don’t give the bees anything. They don’t need anything from you. Correspondent: Honey Care Africa was started 2 years ago by green entrepreneur Ngewa he aims to make beekeeping an easier more reliable source of income by helping poor farmers increase honey production. Francis Ngewa (Kitui Agricultural Project): Beekeeping is very essential in this part of Kenya. We are also in a region by the poverty level a bit high to 50% and the – so these would be generated you say come for the communities and instead of cutting trees down for charcoal one income this would be an opportunity. Farouk Jiwa (Honey Care Africa): Honey care basically buys raw timber and manufactures beehives to look for various donors of farmers in acquiring those for their beehives then provide training for the farmers as well to make a beekeeper equipment that goes with the beekeeping itself. We had extension stop at the interest of farmers whatever the ministry thought it do so and most importantly like I said it was by the guaranteed market of farmers. What honeys and – the first honey that’s marketed in the 4 different neighbors which are developed in the marketing in those countriese. Correspondent: And that’s not all. Farouk: Honey Care uses pine timber which is completely sustainable and therefore was never saw the environment to need more beehives. Correspondent: This colony is home to 80,000 worker bees. They take 3 montsh to fill the hive with bout 10 kg of honey. It takes up to a year to repay the cost of a hive nearly 50 U.S. dollars from selling the honey. If the farmer can’t afford a hive front there’s credit on favorable terms. Paul Jean-Louis (Honey Care Africa): Support from the various non-governmental organizations has been quite significant and this mechanism of easier soft modes seems to work quite well given that the farmers having worked generally below the property line. Correspondent: The secrets of successful honey making is building the honey comb frames or cone starters that is slot into the hive. Honey care uses natural beeswax its smell attracts the bees. Paul: A lot of people like to think of this comb starter as being the wallpapers of these beehive, you need to have a wonderful design and a wonderful smeel in order to make it a good this is the biggest secret behind--. Correspondent: The Honey Care Africa team travels all over Kenya with a mobile honey extraction unit a way in recording the farmers honey and pay them on the spot in cash. Paul Jean-Louis (Honey Care Africa): Right now throughout the country we gain the highest rate which is also about the international— . Correspondent: The Beekeepers of Ketui wait eagerly for their pay packets most on 4 hives earn between 250 and 400 US dollars equal to an average Kenyan’s annual income and with fewer people making charcoal for sale the environment also benefits. So far around 1200 Honey Care Hives have been sold countrywide and they’re hoping to sell the in neighboring countries real soon. Kambua Peter: Bees are my friends because I know they’re my friends they are making something I get money from. I don’t fear them.