KISORO, UGANDA – Residents under the Nkuringo Bwindi Apiculture Foundation are turning to bee farming as a powerful weapon against poverty, harnessing the practice to boost household incomes and promote environmental conservation.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The initiative, which brings together beekeepers from villages including Kyikomo, Kyikobero, Bikokora, Nyamikumbu, Muhombwa, Nteko, and Murole in Nkuringo Town Council, held a major sensitization session on October 3, 2025, at the foundation’s offices.
A training conducted by Kisoro District Entomologist, Beine Jonasan, equipped farmers with modern beekeeping skills, focusing on protecting beehives, improving honey production, and accessing climate-smart agricultural opportunities.
Members explained that the foundation, started three years ago, was established as a strategic community-led effort to tackle persistent poverty.
They highlighted that beekeeping offers multiple benefits, with honey serving not only as a reliable source of income but also as medicine for local use, while the practice itself supports the conservation of the surrounding Bwindi forest ecosystem.
While commending support from organizations like the BMCT and URP, the residents stressed that more direct government intervention is needed to scale their efforts and reach more households.
“Through this foundation, we are seeing a change. We can now sell honey to pay for our children’s school fees and meet our home needs. It is more than just business; the honey we don’t sell, we use as medicine. We are grateful for the support, but we need the government to help us with better equipment and markets to grow further,” Residents said.
Cue In: Residents on Bee Farming. RR
Barugahare Moses, the chairperson of the Nkuringo Bwindi Apiculture Foundation, reiterated the group’s core mission of driving development at the household level.
“Our mission is to ensure household development through income generation. We want every member to earn enough to support their families comfortably, including paying school fees without struggle. Bee farming is our pathway to achieving this,” Said Barugahare.
Cue In: Barugahare on the Group. RR
Meanwhile, Beine Jonasan, the Kisoro District Entomologist who led the training, underscored the indispensable role of bees in sustaining both agriculture and the environment.
He explained that bees are vital pollinators, and their decline could directly threaten food security and livelihoods. Beine also issued a crucial caution to farmers regarding the use of agricultural chemicals.
“Bees are the unseen farmers. Our crops flourish through pollination, and without bees, our communities risk hunger and poverty. I must also caution our farmers: avoid spraying chemicals during the day, as it kills bees. Instead, spraying should only be done in the evening hours when they have returned to their hives,”Beine stated.
Cue In: Beine on Environment. RR
The gathering marks a significant step in the community’s journey towards self-reliance, demonstrating how a climate-smart enterprise like apiculture can create a ripple effect of economic and environmental benefits.
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