0 BEE FARMING IN KENYA presented by Solomon Tungani Eshirembe Youth Bunge 25 th October 2012, Golf Hotel,

1 PRESENTATION STRUCTURE Introduction Importance of beekeeping Honey production and marketing structure Factors affecting production and marketing Why different honey colours? Other hive products Acknowledgement References

2 INTRODUCTION Honey is one of the few natural products used as food as well as medicine The technologies used to produce honey are simple hives which can be made by carpenters Environmental pollution is a problem to clean honey production and should be prevented.

The Hives used to keep honey bees Langstroth KTBH

4 Employment opportunities for over the 60% youth in Kenya Food security with honey consumption Value addition of hive products into lotion, soap, lipstick Income generation through sale of honey and beeswax Increased crop and fruit yields through bee pollination IMPORTANCE OF BEE KEEPING Use of honey and propolis as medicine and tincture for throat

Honey production and marketing structure Farmers Co-operatives Local market Outside market Liquid honey Comb honey Industry use Direct marketing Second level marketing Hives of required measure Prices Environmental & Other factors Quality of honey Hives used Change in climate

Why different honey colours? This is because of plants from where bees collect their nectar and pollen 6

7 FACTORS AFFECTING HONEY PRODUCTION The type of hive used, Kenya top bar or Langstroth Poor honey harvesting methods Gender of people keeping bees e.g Youth, women or men

8 FACTORS AFFECTING HONEYMARKETING High Prices Information shortage Which honey people want, liquid honey or comb

9 Tropical countries or regions with legislation, standard or codex. (IBRA,1977; Crane 1990). Kenya has Vision 2030

10 MAJOR PROBLEMS IN BEEKEEPING 1. Cutting down trees 2. Poor quality honey 3. How to carry honey after harvest before the bees follow you 4. Overheating honey 5. Poor handling of honey 6. How to produce a lot of honey and sell

OTHER HIVE PRODUCTS Beeswax Propolis Royal jelley Pollen Bee venom Bee brood (‘Amana,’ ready to eat protein) 11

Acknowledgement 1. The Organizers and sponsors, USAID 2. National Beekeeping station for required information on telephone 3. Eshirembe Youth Bunge Members for the required Support 4. The venue where this workshop is being held 12

References The National Beekeeping Station, Nairobi, Kenya. Kenya population census report, 2009 IBRA, 1977 Eva Crane, 1990 Vision