Wampiti Beekeepers' Association (WBA) was initiated in 2010 with only 30members with a common goal of modernizing beekeeping i.e. from traditional practice to modern system. A lot has happened such as learning how to use a smoker, wear protective gears, working bees during daytime, stop throwing brood combs out of the hives and many others. WBA is legally registered by the Local government of Nakasongola District.
Wampiti Beekeepers Association has over 80 members from different parts of Nakasongola and this is the smallest fraction of beekeepers in Nakasongola District. WBA benefits over 500 people in addition to 80 direct beneficiaries. The indirect beneficiaries include; family members of WBA members, friends of the WBA members and honey traders.
Most members are above 40 years of age and have families they take care of. Women are more active and focused compared to men. Youths are fewer compared to number of men and women in WBA.
Currently, the total number of hives possessed by WBA members is over 1300 hives where 90% are log hives.
Team work and comradeship was achieved; members now talk and share freely about the happening in their apiaries without hiding anything which wasn’t possible before.
Many beekeepers have established organized bee yards unlike before where hives were randomly installed all over the large piece of land.
Members have learnt how to look for better markets and this has enabled them to benefit from beekeeping as an economic activity.
Tree-cutting for charcoal burning went down as result of securing trees for flowers (nectar) and others installed hives under the trees.
Beekeepers make some money in beekeeping when they sell honey and they keep enough honey for their family too.
Current challenges
1.Limited nectar sources
Beekeeping is facing a challenge today particularly in Nakasongola due to limited bee forage plants which is caused by charcoal burning. Most people in Nakasongola depend on tree cutting to produce charcoal which they sale to earn money.
1.Limited nectar sources
Beekeeping is facing a challenge today particularly in Nakasongola due to limited bee forage plants which is caused by charcoal burning. Most people in Nakasongola depend on tree cutting to produce charcoal which they sale to earn money.
WBA has embarked on protecting and planting bee forage plants to restore the forest and forage base to support beekeeping. Orange and mango are considered to be vital plants since they would provide flowers for bee foraging while when the fruits are ready, can be sold for cash hence eradicating poverty.
Luckily, many beekeepers have begun to plant trees and protecting young trees from being cut down for charcoal in favor of bees. Unfortunately most local tree species take 10 to 15 years to reach flowering stage and yet these are the best nectar producing trees. Therefore some of the members are old right now but it is a good investment for their sons and grandchildren who will benefit from them sometime in the future. And these plants are the best charcoal producing trees.
Charcoal burning became a serious activity in Nakasongola in early 1990s until today but this has left many places with no trees. This is due to lack of sensitization by the government to the local people.
Nakasongola was once a hardwood producing area unlike today where it is known for best quality charcoal and this is also fading way because the trees are getting less.
2.Honey extracting machine
The honey extracting method of squeezing honey into filtering clothes as commonly used by members is not favored by traders and many of them use it as a tool for letting down the quality of honey and this forces many members to sell their honey in combs and in the end they lose the bonus income from beeswax! Many beekeepers don’t keep the hygiene standards required during squeezing and filtering of honey.
Therefore WBA members don’t have modern equipment such as a honey press to help them.
The honey extracting method of squeezing honey into filtering clothes as commonly used by members is not favored by traders and many of them use it as a tool for letting down the quality of honey and this forces many members to sell their honey in combs and in the end they lose the bonus income from beeswax! Many beekeepers don’t keep the hygiene standards required during squeezing and filtering of honey.
Therefore WBA members don’t have modern equipment such as a honey press to help them.
Vote of Thanks
WBA take this opportunity to thank once again everyone especially overseas friends who have helped its members to move from primitive and unproductive beekeeping system into a modern beekeeping world which is more convenient and productive. Thank you very much for donating equipments, skills and knowledge and time. WBA members are no longer bee-killers but professional beekeepers; they no longer go into bees during late dark hours, but go into bees during day time hours to inspect beehives.
WBA take this opportunity to thank once again everyone especially overseas friends who have helped its members to move from primitive and unproductive beekeeping system into a modern beekeeping world which is more convenient and productive. Thank you very much for donating equipments, skills and knowledge and time. WBA members are no longer bee-killers but professional beekeepers; they no longer go into bees during late dark hours, but go into bees during day time hours to inspect beehives.
More Info
Swarms decreased by 80% and wild bees reduced by 90% since wild habitants were destroyed (big trees cut) and most termite hills are poisoned while killing termites. Therefore the rate of colonization is low since there are no enough swarms. This is also due to the fact that people are now managing well their hives whereby bees are not allowed to abscond and some beekeepers don’t allow bees to swarm claiming that the colonies become weak when bees swarm.
Swarms decreased by 80% and wild bees reduced by 90% since wild habitants were destroyed (big trees cut) and most termite hills are poisoned while killing termites. Therefore the rate of colonization is low since there are no enough swarms. This is also due to the fact that people are now managing well their hives whereby bees are not allowed to abscond and some beekeepers don’t allow bees to swarm claiming that the colonies become weak when bees swarm.
Beekeepers are still appreciating the productivity of log hives over topbar hives and the rate of colonization is high in log hives than top bar hives and this has influenced many beekeepers to continue using log hives though employing modern skills.
Many thanks to Toni’s visit in 2015, members have started using bees wax to produce lotion. Toni taught members how to make candles, soap and lotion during her visit to Wampiti Beekeepers Association. Members before had no value for the beewax and this is the hive product which was thrown away plus propolis but now everybody knows the importance of all hive products.
Future prospects.
1. Accessing the best markets for honey, propolis and beeswax. Currently, members are trying to find ways of selling honey at a higher price than the traders (middlemen) buy though the current price is also better than the previous prices.
2. Producing beneficial products from honey, beeswax and propolis. Members have started on producing body lotion with contains beeswax, honey and propolis. Meanwhile the market is still competitive especially from known lotion producers both local and imported.
3. Replanting forests in areas where trees have been cleared as a result of charcoal burning. This would involve securing the indigenous trees though they take long to reach maturity.
4. Sensitizing non-members about the importance of keeping bees and securing trees.
5. Make Nakasongola the best honey producing district in Uganda.
1. Accessing the best markets for honey, propolis and beeswax. Currently, members are trying to find ways of selling honey at a higher price than the traders (middlemen) buy though the current price is also better than the previous prices.
2. Producing beneficial products from honey, beeswax and propolis. Members have started on producing body lotion with contains beeswax, honey and propolis. Meanwhile the market is still competitive especially from known lotion producers both local and imported.
3. Replanting forests in areas where trees have been cleared as a result of charcoal burning. This would involve securing the indigenous trees though they take long to reach maturity.
4. Sensitizing non-members about the importance of keeping bees and securing trees.
5. Make Nakasongola the best honey producing district in Uganda.
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