By Fatuma Hajio
In the heart of Kenya’s Tana Delta region, The Tana Green Heart project, led by the Tana River County Government in collaboration with Nature Kenya seeks to enhance biodiversity protection, promote conservation-linked enterprises and develop green value chains. Beekeeping is one of the enterprises the project is promoting to boost community livelihoods and sustainably harness the Delta’s natural bounty. Recognising Tana Delta’s beekeeping potential, African Beekeepers Limited (ABL), a Nairobi-based private beekeeping company, is keen on investing in the honey value chain.
ABL has set sight in Tana Delta. The company, working closely with Nature Kenya, seeks to equip local beekeeping groups with the requisite knowledge and skills to enhance honey production and elevate quality standards. Towards this end, ABL offered training to 317 individuals, most of them women, at seven locations in Tana Delta in April. Through hands-on training sessions, conducted by ABL staff, participants learned theoretical beekeeping concepts and practical knowledge tailored to their local needs.
Plans are underway to train 1,200 active beekeepers representing 30 groups in the coming weeks. The ripple effects of this initiative are poised to resonate far beyond the buzzing hives. With the onset of the rains, the timing couldn’t be more perfect. As the landscape rejuvenates and flora blooms, honey production is set to increase, promising a bountiful harvest for the newly trained beekeepers. This natural cycle will further enhance the region’s economic prospects as the honey industry increasingly becomes lucrative.