KISORO BEEKEEPERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD
The society is a young and growing institution of rural farmers implementing the beekeeping project in the district of Kisoro, south western Uganda bordering Rwanda and Congo.
The Kisoro bee keepers came together as honey producers through a domestic beekeeping project and formed a honey producing, processing and marketing co-operative fully registered by the registrar of co-operatives in the ministry of trade, industry and tourism. There are 14 groups of beekeepers and they are busy as honey producers from their small rural apiaries. The honey got from these rural beekeepers is bought on a cash basis by the society, processed and marketed within and outside the district.
The Kisoro beekeepers co-operative society is striving to improve the livelihoods of the rural beekeepers. There is a low production of honey at the apiaries in the district and this is because of a lack of knowledge and skills in apiary management on the part of the farmers. There is also a lack of modern beehives to improve on the poor production of honey. There is also poor production most importantly because of the absence of rich ‘grazing’ grounds for bees in terms of the right foliage for nectar collection and other natural services by bees for nature conservation.
To increase production the society is looking for partnerships with all international NGOs, individuals and conservationists interested in helping the rural poor overcome the problems they have at the moment and to assist the beekeepers in Kisoro through capacity building strategy in training, workshops, seminars, and exchange visits to empower the farmers by way of enlightenment on how best to manage their apiaries for commercial production.
Also the willing partner could come in also to provide sustainable modern beehives suitable for the production at the individual household level to improve on the farmer’s livelihood in today’s competitive living. The society promotes conservation by encouraging farmers to plant trees most importantly relevant to bees for nectar and any partner is most welcome to come and promote and finance tree planting among the farmers. It is also important to establish a partnership with the rural beekeepers and other farmers in general.
Bees are also important in the production of beeswax used to make candles and polish, vinegar and there is a medicinal value.
Bee keeping is important to this area of Uganda, not only does it help fight poverty at the household level but it also protects the environment. The surrounding districts of Kisoro are protected for their nature and natural resources. In the south there is the famous Mgahinga Gorilla National Park home to the rare and endangered mountain gorillas. To the north is the equally famous Bwindi National Park also home to the mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. In the east is the Echuya Bamboo Forest Reserve. In addition Kisoro has 4 protected wetland areas, one being our Lake Mutanda site. It is in these protected areas that the beekeepers struggle to survive and keeping bees is one way of protecting in a sustainable way these internationally important natural resources and nature.
Page last updated : 16/05/2008