By Comfort Atukunda
Limited access to modern beekeeping equipment has for years remained one of the major obstacles to commercial honey production among rural farmers in Kabale District, affecting both productivity and household incomes.
Members of the Butanga Karweru Beekeepers Group in Maziba Sub-county say they have been unable to fully exploit the area’s potential for honey production due to inadequate and outdated beekeeping tools, which have made hive management and honey harvesting difficult.
The challenge has, however, received a boost after the group received modern beekeeping equipment worth Shs 26.8 million under the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP), a government programme aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, strengthening climate resilience and improving household incomes.
The equipment, handed over by the Kabale District Local Government Production Department, includes 150 modern beehives, 15 honey buckets, 15 pairs of gumboots, 15 bee brushes, 15 hive tools, 15 smokers, 15 protective bee suits and 15 harvesting knives. Each of the group’s 15 members will receive 10 modern beehives and a complete set of beekeeping gear.
Speaking during the handover on Monday, the Chairperson of Butanga Karweru Beekeepers Group, Stanislaus Habutunga, said inadequate equipment had greatly limited the group’s production capacity despite the growing demand for honey.
He explained that members struggled to harvest honey safely and efficiently using traditional methods, leading to low production and reduced incomes. Habutunga expressed optimism that the modern equipment would improve both the quality and quantity of honey produced while enabling members to earn more from the enterprise.
He pledged that the group would properly utilise and maintain the equipment to ensure the investment benefits both the members and the wider community.
Kabale District Senior Entomologist, Honest Tumuhirwe, said beekeeping remains one of the most profitable agricultural enterprises with the potential to improve household incomes, but noted that many farmers still lack the necessary equipment and technical capacity to maximise production.
She explained that the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project supports organised farmer groups through a cost-sharing arrangement in which beneficiaries contribute 20 percent of the project cost while Government provides the remaining 80 percent.
According to Tumuhirwe, the Butanga Karweru Beekeepers Group contributed UGX 5,375,800 towards the project, while Government invested UGX 21,503,200, bringing the total value of the support to approximately Shs 26.9 million.
She urged members to work collectively, maintain proper production records and expand the group’s membership to increase their chances of benefiting from future government interventions.
Kabale District Senior Fisheries Officer, Jennifer Tumwebaze, challenged the group to move beyond primary production by embracing value addition through honey processing, packaging and marketing, saying this would enable farmers to earn better prices and compete in wider markets.
She also encouraged members to keep proper financial and production records to monitor the performance of their enterprise.
Kabale District Production Officer, Bedda Mwebesa said Government will continue promoting climate-smart agricultural enterprises such as beekeeping because of their potential to improve rural livelihoods while conserving the environment.
He urged the beneficiaries to safeguard the equipment and use it effectively so that the project translates into increased honey production, higher household incomes and improved living standards.
Local leaders also called on more farmers to organise themselves into groups and take advantage of government agricultural programmes, noting that collective action increases access to funding, equipment and technical support needed to transform agriculture into a profitable business.
