Bee Keeping Encouraged me to be a Farmer and Enterpreneur
Mr. Francis Kasiimire, a member of the Kaanana Modern farmers Group exudes confidence
as he goes about his daily routine, checking on his bee-hives.
“I had a passion for bee-keeping even when I was still young” says
Kasiimire. “My dream was realized when I attended a workshop organized
by the ULAMP project in 2002.” He said.
Despite having been trained in bee-keeping, it was not until 2004 when he was
introduced to the NAADS programme that Kasiimire started living his dream. Luckily
for him, his farmer group was also registered under NAADS, setting him on a
long road to success.
Following various trainings with NAADS, Kasiimire’s bee-keeping skills
greatly improved his knowledge and skills, making his enterprise a success.
This knowledge has been invaluable enabling him to increase his incomes.
Through NAADS training he acquired skills on making modern bee hives and even
improving local hives to include a queen excluder. He is now a well accomplished
trainer artisan for hives.
“I have become a trainer in this enterprise both within and outside my
sub-county. I have been hired to train farmers in Kabale, Mbarara and Kamwenge,”
he narrates.
Mr. Kasiimire’s bee keeping project is on a land sized 31 by 33 metres.
It holds 33 bee hives, although this area has the capacity to cater for 100 hives.
“I obtain 120 litres of processed honey each year and sells a 20-litre Jerrycan
at sh100,000,” says Kasiimire.
This means that Kasiimire earns sh600,000 a year. His annual expenditure, including
labour and materials is not more than sh120,000 realising an annual net profit
of sh480,000 from the five-year old project alone.
“Marketing honey is not a problem because as we talk now I have enough
orders from my customers,” he explains. Adding that, “I no longer
buy milk for my family because I own a cow which I bought using money from honey.”.
Some farmers have emulated Kasiimire. He boasts of having trained several farmers
like Begumisa David of Rwebiyenje village, Kawaida of Silvestine Nyakatokye,
Gumisiriza and Joseph Tibeingana from Rugazi.
Kasiimire’s main challenge remains on acquisition of skills for bee multiplication
to enable him perpetuate selected breed in his apiary. He says that he needs
more farmers to make a marketing association but this has been hampered by the
fear people have on keeping bees near their homes.
Kasiimire also keeps goats. He has 40 crosses and a pure Boer he goat. The
he goat and six of the crosses are on zero-grazing. He started with six local
breed goats which he crossed. He has been earning about sh800,000 a year by
selling eight goats annually to supplement the income from bees.
He sells an F1 cross at. sh50,000, an F2 at sh100,000 and a 3rd cross at sh150,000.
Manure from his goats is put to maximum use. Kasiimire’s soil is otherwise
naturally poor but he has transformed it using soil conservation technologies
he acquired from NAADS trainers.
Kasiimire is currently the chairperson for Nyakatokye Parish Coordination Committee
and a committed member of the Bisheshe sub-county farmers’ forum.
He appreciates NAADS’ role in the fulfillment of prosperity for all which
is a key strategy in poverty eradication.
