Help women increase their income with beekeeping

At time of harvest in April, we realise that at least a third of the beehives we had provided where not swarmed. 

We first did a audit with a specialist to analyse the reasons for this situation. We found out that the unswarmed hives where not positioned properly (orientation or location).

In order to improve the knowledge of the beekeepers we have started a training in selected villages. The training goes over 2 days, including one session at night. 

With the training we expect the farmers to have a better understanding about bees, to be able to recognize if the swarm is of good quality, how to position the hives, why does swarm leaves the hives, how to bring a swarm in the hives. The training will also help farmers to maintain and protect their hives.

This year the rainy season has stopped very soon and abruptaly. One of the concequence is a very poor harvest, but also fruit trees are flowering at least one month earlier than normal. During the training it has been advised to check on the production of honey has early as February (when it is normally done early April). It is important to harvest the honey at the right time.

With this training we expect to have at least 90% of the hives with bees and that the production of each hives will be between 7 to 10 kg of raw honey.

Results will be measured at time of harvest between March and April 2018.

We wish you a healthy and peaceful newyear.

Do not hesitate to communicate with your friends about this project.

Thank you again for your support.

When we started the beekeeping project, the applicants lists consisted only of men from 4 villages. Women of those villages where told not to apply by the men.

For the second funding for beekeeping we had, we decided to accept only women applicants. Those women were from 3 new villages where men had not had the chance to aplly yet. 

For the irst group of beekeepers we had no problem with the training and the setting up of the hives in the 4 villages. However, the men of the 3 new villages created a lot of difficulties for us to train the women and set up the hives. For example the men were making sure that the women were not available at the dates planned for the training. Also, since the land belongs to the men, they were not accepting the location for the set up of the hives.

Taking into account those difficulties, we had to promise the men of those 3 villages that they would be included in the next group of participants. This is what we did and all the problems were gone.

From now on, for the beeking project we are making sure that both genders can participate.

What we have learned is that, even if we know that projects will work better with women than with men and if we want it to be a success, we have to have a good balance on who in the village will benefit from the projects.