Help 65 poor women to start Beekeeping in Uganda

Last year Soil Health and Climate Action Network (SHCAN) purchased a full bee suit for smallholder farmers group in Kitoba-Hoima District. The farmers have started embarrassing the use of the equipment in honey harvesting.

 Previously, smallholder farmers in the group operated with fear, often needing to harvest very late in night to avoid massive, aggressive swarms. They often relied on traditional methods that involved fire to smoke out bees, which would often kill them. This was not only dangerous, resulting in painful stings, but also inefficient, producing lower-quality honey.  

Through SHCAN farmers received training andprotective bee suit (with mesh hood and elasticated cuffs) that they will use in the harvesting and the suit is managed by the group members, used by the members of the group and local community members.

The suit is so important to the farmers because it provides essential protection against stings during hive inspection and harvesting, enabling farmers to work confidently, handle aggressive colonies, and manage hives regularly. This equipment increases honey production, improves honey quality by reducing contamination, and boosts income by allowing safe, frequent harvests.

We are grateful to our esteemed donors who support us in our community intiatives, their support us in aiding in the shaping of apiculture practice in Kitoba.

The Beek Keeping Project focuses on increasing income for women in Kitoba Subcounty, Hoima District, from honey and honey by-products. 

As we approach season for harvesting honey, we gave out a set of beekeeping suit to one bee keeping working group of Bulyango parish to support sustainable beekeeping and improve livelihoods of farmers. keeping suit farmers is crucial for safety and productivity, protecting them from stings while allowing for necessary inspections and harvests. We then trained farmers on proper usage of the suit, cleaning and maintenance.

Importance and benefits of bee suit to farmers

Safety: Bee suit will protect farmers from stings, which is essential for both regular hive inspections and honey harvesting. 

Productivity: Suit will help farmers manage their hives effectively, leading to better performance and higher honey yields. 

Income generation: Access to proper protective gear will allow farmers to produce more honey for sale, contributing to increased income and food security for their families. 

Farmers appreciated all donors for the support in improving their livelihood. They said the bee suit will help them in the harvesting of clean honey and its by-products.

We are committed to supporting bee keepers in improving their livelihood and we aim at offering comprehensive support to the farmers with more tools like smokers, buckets and others that can help them in the process of harvesting honey and its by-products.