The Sunday News
VILLAGERS in Matobo District’s Ward 17 (Dema) in Matabeleland South Province are running a thriving apiculture project that has seen them constructing a honey processing centre to value add the honey in a bid to improve the quality of the product.
The project started in 2006 and consists of seven groups and 98 individual honey producers whose honey is marketed under the brand, Matojeni Honey. The bee keeping project was initiated by Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre through the assistance of Matobo Rural District Council and the Forestry Commission.
Councillor Sikhulile Hlongwane said the honey making projects have played a pivotal role in improving income and food security at household levels in her area of jurisdiction.
Fambidzanai has been at the forefront of development organisations promoting food security through sustainable land use management (permaculture) in Zimbabwe. It is one of the oldest permaculture centres in Africa.
“The bee keeping initiative has benefitted us immensely as it is a major income generating project. We realise income through selling the honey we produce to individuals and local retailers and we even sell some to shops in Bulawayo.
Apart from uplifting the livelihood of the members, the honey project has also improved nutritional values and food security. The honey is also important for its medicinal aspect especially for those suffering from asthma,” she said.
Honey contains a number of nutritional and medicinal benefits. The sweet golden liquid from the beehive is a popular kitchen staple loaded with antibacterial and antifungal properties. Honey’s scientific super powers contribute to its vastly touted health benefits for the whole body. The healthy natural sweetener offers many nutritional benefits depending on its variety. Raw honey is the unpasteurised version of commonly used honey and only differs in its filtration, which helps extend its shelf life.
The groupings also produce beeswax candles for sell including propolis, which can be used for attracting bees at newly set hives. Propolis is a red or brown resinous substance collected by honeybees from tree buds, used by them to fill crevices and to seal and varnish honeycombs.
Clr Hlongwane said the success of the honey production project has prompted members to construct a honey processing centre in a bid to improve the quality of their product as well as enhancing their business acumen.
“We have started the construction of a honey processing centre, which will consist of a processing room, storeroom and a selling point. The reason behind the construction of this facility is mostly to improve on issues to do with hygiene and quality as well as to ensure we run the project as a proper business entity,” she said.
Forestry Commission Matabeleland South provincial forestry extension manager Mr Bekezela Tshuma said the organisation was in support of bee keeping initiatives as it guards against deforestation.
“As an organisation we support and promote bee keeping projects in all the districts in the province and in Matobo there are thriving projects in wards 16 and 17 whose honey is packaged and sold at supermarkets as Matojeni Honey for $3 to $4 a bottle.
“Bee keeping projects are part of our sensitisation strategies against deforestation. Those embarking in the project are told about the importance of trees for getting forage for their bees as well as the types of trees they should preserve to enable their project to thrive,” Mr Tshuma said.
