Turkana’s honey production has hit 138 tonnes as pastoralists overcome climate and investment hurdles to generate Sh128 million from the venture.
Ms Eyanae Etukon from Kangilogitae village is among residents from 4,500 households in Turkana County who have embraced apiculture.
These pastoral households are diversifying from their traditional sources of livelihood -- fishing and livestock production -- to beekeeping, a venture that is proving to be profitable.
In 2024, Turkana produced 138 tonnes of honey valued at Sh128 million, according to the county government.
The sector is, however, faced with challenges of climate change and limited investment in better practices.
Mr Eyanae Etukon, a dedicated member of Kangilogitae village, cites climate change as among the key challenges.
"Drought and unreliable rainfall are among the major challenges affecting beekeeping. Natural forests are affected by drought conditions, meaning that bees are losing their natural habitat," he said.
According to acting County Secretary Joseph Nyang’a, alongside honey, Turkana produces 46 tonnes of beeswax worth Sh32 million.
"These impressive results are a product of our sustained investment in training, modern equipment, and processing infrastructure. In the 2023/2024 financial year, the county government allocated five percent of the Department of Livestock Budget to support the apiculture sector," he said.
Mr Nyang’a said that the county government had in the recent past procured and distributed over 1,200 modern beehives, trained more than 640 community beekeepers, established a state-of-the-art honey processing and value addition centre in Naotin, and strengthened seven active beekeeping cooperatives.
"These efforts are in line with our broader strategy to build a resilient, commercially viable apiculture industry. Beekeeping in Turkana is one of the most inclusive livelihood activities. Today, 68 percent of new entrants in the apiculture value chain are women and youth. The county government continues to support 24 women’s groups and five youth cooperatives engaged in various aspects of beekeeping," the county secretary said.
He said that the groups are not only transforming household incomes, but are also advancing gender equity and community entrepreneurship.
Mr Nyang’a said that the county has rich biodiversity and indigenous knowledge that can be harnessed for sustainable apiculture.
The county government has revived efforts to boost large-scale production of honey for nutrition and commercial purposes, with factors such as climate change and low budget affecting the sector.
Apiculture experts, led by Abdullahi Yusuf, said that the county produces natural honey without impurities and a favourable ecosystem in the county that would support beekeeping, giving Turkana an upper hand in the market compared to honey produced in other regions.
He said that they are calling for support from the county government to collaborate with partners to invest in the honey value chain development in Turkana.
"We have benefited from the bee-keeping training manual and field findings from the apiculture department, led by officers from the Pastoral Economy Department and their counterparts from the GIZ organisation. The training manual acts as a reference resource for the beekeepers during their day-to-day bee farming activities, while the field findings will help the frontline extension workers understand the problems facing beekeepers and why it negatively impacts on realisation of full potential for bee-keeping in Turkana," Mr Yusuf said.
He added that as part of providing its leadership and coordination in the sustainable development of the continent’s animal resources, in 2016, the African Union Inter African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), with support from the European Union and in partnership with international Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), implemented a Bee Health Project. Among the key outputs of the project was the formation and operationalisation of the Apiculture Platform of Kenya (APK).
For sustainability and adequate food security, Turkana and other counties should choose pollinator-friendly native flowering plants for the region to encourage pollination, said Dr Monica Olala, a representative from the State Department of Livestock Development.
“This is because a large proportion of the crops grown in the country depend entirely on bees and other pollinators for successful pollination. Therefore, bees are crucial for the production of food crops in Kenya and the world at large,” she advised.
Dr Olala said that beekeeping alone contributed approximately Sh19.23 billion to agricultural GDP, ranking sixth behind beef, dairy, poultry, goats, and sheep.
She urged beekeepers and stakeholders to adopt safe pesticide use by considering toxicity and timing of application; to implement integrated pest management to reduce reliance on harmful chemicals; and to embrace agroforestry and environmentally friendly farming practices as part of efforts to boost the bee population in the country.
