Welcome to
Beekeeping the Change
An African socio-agricultural beekeeping initiative
Beekeeping the Change: An African Story
In every challenge lies a opportunity...
African beekeepers and wanderers at heart, we've been running a beekeeping business that produces honey and honey bee related products. Click here to see more...
A recent adventure to the more rural natural areas of Southern African completely changed our perspective on beekeeping in general. We highlighted the absolute need to support and promote under developed rural beekeeping practices in Africa. This is a sector of agriculture that has huge potential, and many positive spin-offs. For both ecosystems and communities.
The Challenge: on the ground rural Africa
Traditional methods of beekeeping are causing deforestation and massive wild honey bee colony deaths
The beekeeping practices widely used in Africa are not exactly profitable and definitely not eco-friendly. Rural beekeepers/honey hunters use bark hives to catch wild honey bee colonies. There is a problem here however... For every bark hive made an old mature tree must be 'ring barked' and will immediately die. Some honey hunters use as many as 500 single use bark hives per year. In addition, these honey hunters do not have modern beekeeping equipment.  The only safe option for them to harvest honey is to exterminate (burn) the bees of the colony. This results in a low quality honey harvest, and the quantity is normally very poor. Each bark hive is only harvested once before the bees are killed. Let's do the math! By definition this isn't sustainable.
The Solution: Help us Beekeep the Change
Empower rural communities with modern beekeeping practices and ongoing entrepreneurial and market support
Our vision is to make a positive impact through out Africa, by empowering rural beekeepers with modern beekeeping practices, and supporting them through ongoing entrepreneurial and market support. By implementing modern Langhstroth beehives, each colony can be harvested bi-annually, without causing any harm to the honey bees. These modern beehives become a income generating asset for communities. By providing protective beekeeping suits and equipment to traditional beekeepers this will further decrease destructive beekeeping practices currently implemented. The last key factor is knowledge, training and skills up-liftment. This will completely eliminate the need to destroy wild honey bee colonies in order to harvest produce. Through running continuous beekeeping training sessions and providing fair trade markets for honey, these traditional beekeepers will be exposed to a sustainable agricultural model which will increase their income.
Beekeeping the Change: Honey bee conservation bracelet
Most will agree that securing large funding for projects and initiatives can be excruciatingly difficult. We're aiming to crowd source support for this socio-agricultural beekeeping initiative.
Our short term target is to have our first honey harvest from this initiative. With your support this this can become a reality. We've designed beautiful honey bee conservation bracelets from locally sourced materials. These are on sale and proceeds will go directly into driving this initiative forward. Of course we're hoping for overwhelming support from like-minded people that believe in our vision as much as we do.  Click below to learn more about our goals and strategic plan. If you would like to help us Beekeep the Change please purchase something from our store or make a donation. We're looking to form a community support network for our traditional beekeepers and would love your involvement.
Beekeeping the Change: Resources
Your link to on the ground beekeeping in rural Africa
Backed by a team of experienced beekeeping professionals, our strategic mission meet the needs of transforming honey hunters into beekeepers. This is a far more more efficient and sustainable way of beekeeping. A long way to go, but we've already checked a couple boxes. Our traditional beekeepers are excited to get their hands on modern beehives, and have proven themselves eager for knowledge and training modules. We now need your support to deliver lasting changes with measurable growth. Please follow the links below to be in touch with us, or to learn how Beekeeping the Change is currently making a difference.
Step-by-Step Goals: Our Strategic Plan
Our vision is to make an impact through out Africa, by empowering local communities and traditional beekeepers with modern beekeeping practices and equipment. However there are numerous steps we need to take to reach that. Our first sponsored trip and training with the honey hunters was a big success. We're now looking to replicate that on a larger scale. To that end we're aiming to deliver another 20 beehives, with beekeeping equipment to 5 more traditional honey hunters. Our immediate goal is to source funding through our Conservation bracelets and sponsor a beekeeper initiative. Watch this space for updates...
Beekeeping the Change: Find the latest news in our Blog
It may be difficult to envision a beekeeping project in the middle of nowhere Africa. Luckily we're very excited to share the progress. Follow the below link to see all the latest news, on-goings and developments. We'll get stung, so you don't have to. Please enjoy the beekeeping experience along with us.
