Maasai women make cash from beekeeping

PHOTO|INTERNET

What you need to know:

  • Maasai women in Lemanda village, Oldonyosambu area in Arusha, have ventured into production of organic honey as they target to grab the increasing demand for the product in the local and international markets. This has been able due to financial and technical support from Oikos East Africa.

Arusha. Maasai women at Lemanda Village, Oldonyosambu in Arusha, have started producing organic honey commercially, targeting the increasingly growing local and international markets. Thanks to Oikos East Africa for its financial and technical support, the ethnic group dubbed Enjoro Nyuki with 50 beehives, has successfully managed to harvest 70kg of the product worth Sh700,000 at local market price.

Briefing the Uhuru Torch race leader, Mr Charles Kabeho, during the official launch of the project, the Enjoro Nyuki chairperson, Ms Dora Mollel, said plans were afoot for the group to produce honey in large quantities.

“We are very grateful to Oikos East Africa for purchasing 50 beehives for us. They also provided us with comprehensive training on beekeeping, honey harvest, packaging and marketing,” Ms Mollel explained.

Mr Kabeho commended the Maasai women for their job and encouraged them to work diligently to produce more organic honey for themselves and sell the surplus to the local and international markets.