Kitui County beekeepers harvest big as World Bank Promise Ksh500m funding

In a move poised at improving productivity and profitability of traditional beekeeper in Kitui County, Governor Charity Kaluki Ngilu on Monday held discussions with Dr. Micheal Njuguna of the World Bank.

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During the meeting, Dr. Nguguna informed the Governor that the bank, through the National Agricultural Growth Improvement Project ( NARGIP), was planning to invest a big % age of the Kshs.500 Million funding to 4 Value Chains In Kitui County.

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Under the beekeeping value chain, the critical areas earmarked for investment include:
Supporting the beekeepers with bee suits; bee smokers, bee brushes, food grade harvesting buckets and training on honey post-harvest handling.

Other areas being considered for support to include: the establishment of a honey processing refinery and a County beekeeping training, research, and innovation Centre.

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The World Bank will be supporting beekeepers from Kitui County to improve their productivity and profitability. Governor Charity Kaluki Ngilu held very fruitful discussions with the World Bank on ways and means of the bank supporting traditional beekeepers enhance their productivity and profitability through hygienic honey harvesting, post-harvest handling and value addition.

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Governor Ngilu informed the bank officials that the County Government commissioned a scooping survey on beekeeping in the County through the Sub- County, Ward and Village Administrators and was pleasantly pleased to establish that the County has slightly over 9,000 beekeepers with a combined hive population of slightly over 100, 000 hives of which 72%of them are colonized.

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Governor Ngilu welcomed the support from the bank but urged them to move with speed and ensure that the beekeepers fully benefit from the initiative and especially during the current honey harvesting season.

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