Uganda - A competition to help increase supply of honey within Uganda was launced on 11th February 2009. Over 200 individual honey beekeepers, 40 groups and Associations have submitted entries to participate in the four-week competition.
This competition aims to stimulate and promote adoption of best practices in honey production and ultimately improve the livelihoods of the beekeepers in the districts of Kabarole, Kasese, Kyenjojo, Kamwenge and Budindbugyo.
This will see an increase production levels from the current 200MT to 300MT by the end of 2009 hence boosting supply within the region and urban markets like Kampala. The competition was launched on will culminate in a prize giving ceremony on 26th March 2009.
Speaking at the competition launch, the Minister of State for Animal Industry, Hon. Bright Rwamirama commended SNV’s effort to lift the standard of beekeeping in the region, saying, “Your efforts to come to a roundtable, like you are doing today at this multi stakeholders’ platform, to collectively tackle the bottlenecks, stimulate growth and development in the sector, cannot be over emphasized. I therefore encourage you to continue with such initiatives and as government; we shall continue to work with you to improve the livelihoods of our people.”
As a facilitator of the platform, SNV has steered the formation of the platform and strengthening of the key and weak sectors of the value chain. Hives Save Lives (Africa) has, as a member of the platform, provided the technical expertise and will evaluate performance during the competition following a set criteria based on apiary management (hive citing, fencing, clean apiary), hive yields, sest control, level of household cleanliness and book keeping.
Other members of the regional platform are Centenary Rural Development Bank, National Agricultural Advisory Services, Kabarole Research Centre, Bee Mine and DK Engineering have provided the financial support and the prizes ranging from trophies, Langstroth hives to a centrifuge. The platform stakeholders have organised a handover ceremony which will bring together all beekeepers within the region.