Originally published in ACDI VOCA on 23 January 2023 | With training from the Activity, Hassan enhanced her skills in apiculture and increased her yields.
In many parts of Northern Kenya, overgrazing of cattle and erratic weather patterns are increasingly degrading the quality and quantity of livestock pasture. This has reduced animal productivity and caused the death of cattle in some cases. To ease reliance on pastureland, farmers like Ebla Hassan are pivoting into diversified livelihoods, such as beekeeping.
However, starting a beekeeping venture was not easy for Hassan. The practice of beekeeping is mainly dominated by men in the area. Beehives are kept up in the trees, requiring one to climb up high to retrieve the honey, perhaps explaining why some women keep away from the venture.
At first, Hassan lacked basic beekeeping skills. For example, the wrong positioning of her beehives made heavy winds blow directly into the apiary and drifted the bees from their pathways. This affected the hive occupancy rate and volume of honey production. As a result, she fell short during the first harvest, obtaining only three kilograms of honey from four of her 10 hives.
In 2020, the Feed the Future Kenya Livestock Market Systems Activity, the World Food Programme, and the County Government of Garissa organized a training of trainer’s workshop for beekeepers. Hassan was one of the trainees. After the workshop, she made important changes to her apiary, including positioning the beehives in suitable areas within her farm. With subsequent training from the Activity—funded by USAID and implemented by ACDI/VOCA in coordination with partners Mercy Corps, Smart Regional Consultants, and the BOMA Project—she enhanced her skills in apiculture and increased her yields. Hassan learned that with modern technology the beehives could be put at lower levels to ease access.