Honey Care Africa

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Honey Care Africa Muringa Avenue, Jamhuri
ParkP.O. Box 24487, Nairobi KENYA
info_at_honeycareafrica.com www.honeycareafrica.com
ICC- UNDP- IBLF Award, Marrakech, Morocco 6-9
June 2004
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Brief History of Beekeeping in Kenya

• Very old activity in the Region
• Log Hives most common and dominated by men
• Crude harvesting techniques, low yields and poor
  quality honey
• Previous Government Donor interventions
  unsuccessful
• Result Kenya a net importer of honey

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Honey Care Africa

• Established in March 2000 as a private sector
  organisation, but with an explicit sustainability
  agenda.
• Best described as a Social Enterprise
• Using better beekeeping technology to improve
  rural incomes, empower women and youth, and
  promote biodiversity conservation.
• Fair Trade Organization and committed to
  Triple-Bottom Line Value Generation.

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Methodology Honey Cares Tripartite Model

• Emerged from attempt to redefine role of private
  sector as a more engaged and pro-active driver
  for development in the South.
• Innovative, synergistic partnership between
  private sector, development sector and rural
  communities.
• Utilising key strengths of the three partners for
  mutual enhanced benefit.
• Specific roles defined for each party, governed
  by MOU.

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Outline of Honey Care Africas Tripartite Model
Honey Care
Symbiosis
Rural Communities
Donor / MFI
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Honey Care Africas Products and Services

• Manufacture of Langstroth Hives to international
  standards
• Outsourcing supply of other beekeeping equipment
  from community groups and informal Jua Kali
  sector
• Demonstrations at village-level across rural
  Kenya
• Linking potential beekeepers with funding sources
  (Donor / MFI)
• 3-day hands-on practical beekeeping training in
  local dialects

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Honey Care Africas Products and Services

• Extension and Technical support provided at no
  cost to beekeepers
• Honey Extraction and Collection services at
  village level
• Guaranteed market for honey at Fair Trade prices
• Cash-on-spot payment direct to beekeeper at
  farm-gate
• Loan deduction made from honey sale and remitted
  to donor / MFI
• Honey processed, packaged and sold for a profit

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Social Impact

• Over 6,000 potential beekeepers sensitised
• Over 1,050 New Beekeepers Trained
• 37 of Beekeepers are now Women
• 13 of Beekeepers are Youth

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Economic Impact

• 17,500 Langstroth Hives established across Kenya.
• Over 2,500 households now earning a supplementary
  income of US 200-250 per annum.
• Hive Micro-Leasing Scheme established with Africa
  Now and K-Rep Development Agency (MFI).

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Environmental Impact

• Positive Environmental and Biodiversity value
  creation through pollination.
• 0 waste generated everything is recycled
• Alternative and sustainable income generation
• Beyond Environmental Impact mitigation

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Honey Care Africas Partners

• 17 International Development Organizations, Donor
  Agencies, NGOs and Institutions
• They DO NOT fund our overheads or subsidize our
  operating expenses
• Network of over 250 CBOs, Womens Groups, Farmer
  Groups, Youth Groups and Self-Help Associations

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Replication and Next Steps

• Successful Replication of model undertaken in
  Macedonia in 2003/4 through the Southeast Europe
  Enterprise Development (SEED) Program.
• HACCP and ISO 9002 / 14001 certification underway
  shortly. Supported by grant from IFC.
• Export markets for honey are currently being
  sought in the EU, Middle East and US.
• Discussion with World Bank-IFCs GBO Initiative
  just completed.
• Establishment of Honey Care Africa in Tanzania
  currently underway.