Zimbabwe: Honey Processing Plant for 700 Farmers

AT least 700 beekeepers from Hurungwe have started to benefit from a honey processing plant opened last week at Chitindiva

Business Centre in Hurungwe North.

The plant is part of the apiculture project rolled out by the Government through the United Nations Development Programme

(UNDP) and ZimApiculture Trust under the Zambezi Valley biodiversity project.

It is fully equipped with manual and electric honey presses and a solar-powered borehole.

The community lauded the project.

A total of 700 beneficiaries were each equipped with three beehives to protect forests while at the same time addressing

human-wildlife conflicts.

One of the beneficiaries, Ms Febby Chingwena hailed the initiative.

"I can now send my children to school," she said.

Ms Chingwena is one of more than 200 women who are benefiting from the initiative.

"We are still reeling under the negative impact of an El-Nino-induced drought. The majority didn't reap anything and this

project comes as an alternative source of income," another beneficiary said.

"Honey production has, therefore, empowered us as women."

Hurungwe Beekeepers Association chairperson, Mr Willard Phiri welcomed the development.

"Going forward, we are looking at value addition so that we fully use our natural resources," he said.

Before the project, elephants destroyed fields while many risked losing their lives from the attacks but researches have shown

that the jumbos are afraid of bees and this forces them to divert routes.

Chundu Village Head, Mr Hands Chundu said the rate of deforestation in his area was unbearable, adding that the new project

will help alleviate this.

The project is being implemented in Hurungwe, Mbire and Muzarabani Districts, with the view to commercialise the

enterprises through value addition to enhance sustainable forestry management, social inclusion and household resilience.

ZimApiculture Trust director, Mrs Selina Chitapi said over 2 000 beekeepers were trained in the three districts.

"ZimApiculture Trust is a low-value grant recipient under the UNDP GEF6, Zambezi Valley biodiversity project and is

implementing a project on commercialisation of honey enterprises to enhance sustainable forestry management, social

inclusion and household resilience through upscaling".

"The project trained a total of 2091 beekeepers (1362 male and 728 female) from Hurungwe, Mbire and Muzarabani since

2020. The people were provided with at least three beehives each, giving a total of 6,000 beehives.

The project also constructed three honey processing centres which were equipped with honey processing equipment in the

three districts," she said.

Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Sithembiso Nyoni, represented by acting deputy director of wildlife conservation,

Mr Tendai Ruzvidzo said the Government is impressed by the new approach in environmental conservation.