Kabale Beekeepers Receive Shs26.8M Equipment to Boost Honey Production

What the report says

Nile Post reported that Butanga Karweru Beekeepers Group in Maziba Sub-county, Kabale District, has received beekeeping equipment valued at about Shs26.8 million through the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project. The government-backed programme is intended to raise agricultural productivity, improve resilience to climate pressures and support household incomes. The handover was conducted by the Kabale District Local Government Production Department.

According to the report, the package includes 150 modern beehives, 15 honey buckets, 15 pairs of gumboots, 15 bee brushes, 15 hive tools, 15 smokers, 15 protective suits and 15 harvesting knives. The 15-member group is expected to receive 10 hives per member, along with a set of related equipment, to improve honey production and harvesting. Group chairperson Stanislaus Habutunga said members had faced difficulties because of limited tools, which had affected output and harvesting.

Kabale District Senior Entomologist Honest Tumuhirwe said the support was provided under a co-funding model in which beneficiary groups meet 20 percent of project costs and government covers 80 percent. She put the group’s contribution at Shs5,375,800 and the government share at Shs21,503,200, for a total of roughly Shs26,879,000. District officials also encouraged the group to work collectively, keep records and consider expanding membership to improve future eligibility for government programmes.

The development matters for rural livelihoods because beekeeping can provide income from honey and related products while requiring less land than many other agricultural activities. The reported support also fits within broader public efforts to help farmers adapt production systems to changing weather and market conditions.