Garissa County Government has announced procurement of at least 5,100 beehives and honey harvesting equipment as it targets to empower 15,000 farmers for honey production.
County Director for Livestock services Haret Hambe said, the County has the potential of producing the best quality honey due to conducive vegetation cover along the River Tana and the thick stretch vegetation of the Boni forest.
He was speaking in Masalani town during the distribution of 100 beehives and honey harvesting tools donated by World Vision to various farmer groups.
Hambe said that both the county government and partner organizations funded by USAID to support the Livelihood programmes, will train and empower the bee-keeping farmers with necessary tools.
“Majority of the pastoralist communities affected by the vicious cycle of drought have adopted bee-keeping as an alternative source of Livelihood,” Hambe said.
He thanked the World Vision for the partnership and support to the vulnerable communities in the County.
Hambe also urged all non-governmental organizations interested in supporting the bee keeping farmers to notify the county and sub county steering committees to avoid duplication of activities.
He called for strengthening of bee keepers’ co-operative society in the county, in a bid to advocate for a vibrant market among other benefits. He also appealed to the youth and women to venture into bee keeping enterprise as it is a low cost undertaking with high economic returns.
The director envisaged that the County bee keeping farmers would soon deliver branded and well packaged honey to area residents and other parts of the country.
By Erick Kyalo
