On Wednesday June 20th, 2018, a delegation composed of members of the Swiss Development Cooperation, Ikiraro Program and FIOM Rwanda visited Abanyamurava beekeeping cooperative located in Kanyonza District, Murama Sector, Muko Cell. The Cooperatives is supported by the Pro-Bee Project, implemented by FIOM Rwanda with the financial support of Ikiraro Program. The Swiss Development Cooperation is one of the funding donors to Ikiraro program. Abanyamurava beekeeping cooperative is one of the 6 cooperatives supported by the project in Kayonza District.
The cooperative was created in 2015, and it currently has 23 members, including 13 and 11 women. The members own 300 traditional beehives and each family has at least 15 beehives. In addition to being beekeepers, members are normal agriculturalists, growing various types of crops that grow in the region. During the visit, members of the delegation shared a very good moment with beekeepers of Abanyamurava cooperative.
The chairman of the cooperative, Mr Norbert Nduwayezu, pointed out that prior to working as a cooperative, beekeepers struggled individually:
each of us worked on his own, there was no interaction among beekeepers, and we had no linkage with the local leadership, no contact with public service providers, and we had no immediate contact with sellers of honey we produced.At that moment, production was very low, not exceeding 100 kg per harvest for all of us”. The thanked FIOM Rwanda for supporting them to increase production through training in modern beekeeping, good cooperative management and good leadership.
He confessed that their production jumped to 250 kilograms in February this year despite bad weather, and that they expect to reach 300 to 350 kg during the July harvest. He also pointed out that FIOM Rwanda supported them in reviewing their beehive management strategy, with the cooperative leadership focusing on coordination, training, marketing and advocacy, whereas individual members deploy all means to increase production and improve quality. Cooperative members indicated that they are able to easily sale their honey, save money for future investment in beekeeping activities and for dealing with other livelihood related obligations such as paying for health insurance and covering school requirements for their kids. The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to the Kayonza District authorities, where it was received by the Vice Mayor in charge of social welfare who appreciated the role of FIOM Rwanda in the social and economic development of Kayonza District. He revealed that, in their District, productivity of the beekeeping value chain is increasing, thanks to the synergy that characterize beekeeping value chain actors, an approach tailored by FIOM Rwanda’s Pro-Bee project. Access to market is among the District’s key priorities in year to come, and he indicated that the District looks forward to establishing a center where customers can easily access high quality local honey.
Members of the delegates included the Deputy Director for the Swiss Cooperation Office in Rwanda, Mrs. Caroline TISSOT, the Team Manager for North Africa and Palestine, Mrs. Lisa Magnollay Karrlen, the Director of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy in Tunisia, Mr. Romain Darbellary, and Mrs. Jacqueline Gatera Ngoma form the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tanzania. The Delegation also included the General coordinator of FIOM Rwanda, Mr. Janvier Rukwatage. Members of the delegation enjoyed honey harvesting exercise, and tasted delicious freshly harvested honey at the cooperative.
