Bee-farmers benefit from forest reserves

 Bee-farmers in Rumphi District have taken advantage of the skills they acquired through Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme to protect their forests to sustain their business.

In an interview on Tuesday, a bee-farmer Maggie Longwe said they mounted 10 beehives in Chiskemba Forest Reserve in Sub-Traditional Authority Chisovya.

She said they were able to mount the beehives because there are trees in the forest.

Said Longwe: “These trees are growing well because participants under the Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme are taking care of them through regeneration activities.

“Our group of beekeepers, Sekelerani, harvests at least 80 litres of honey twice a year. We sell a 20-litre bucket at K240 000. Beekeeping has transformed our lives. We are able to pay fees for children and provide other household necessities.”

Another bee-farmer Christopher Chisambi urged other communities to conserve forests for improved rains and beekeeping business.

Another bee-farmer Lucy Nkhoma in Traditional Authority Zolokere said they protect Mwange Forest Reserve where she mounted nine beehives.

“I sell a 350 militre bottle of honey at K3 000. We cannot keep bees without trees. Therefore, we make fire breaks, prune trees and remove weeds from the forests to enable healthy growth of trees,” she said.

Rumphi district Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme desk officer Boyd Msowoya said the project has been successful and has improved land and water conservation.

He said the efforts have led to improved yields through water and soil conservation efforts such as swalle making, vetiva grass planting and contour marker ridging.

The programme is a component of Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods, a Malawi Government social support programme funded by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund and the World Bank