By Faith Kisiangani and Bob Aston
The County Assembly of Laikipia on
June 10, 2014 passed a motion moved by nominated member Hon. Jennifer Koinante
on value addition for bee products. The motion was motivated by the realisation
that although Laikipia County has a huge potential to produce honey from its
many forests, most honey consumed there was imported from Baringo County.
Communities had also recognised that
there is a direct correlation between honey production and increased
afforestation, hence it would likely lead to increase in numbers of trees
planted within and outside Laikipia forests, which now face immense pressure
due to exploitation for timber and wood fuel.
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| Hon Koinante during a knowledge sharing workshop |
The motion read as follows: “Noting that
beekeeping is a major economic driver in Kenya that remains unexploited;
appreciating that bee keeping is also a way and means of environmental
conservation; noting that Laikipia County Government can tap into this and
actually package County-Specific bee products; this house urges the County
Government to develop and implement strategies of enhancing production and marketing
of honey from our County.”
The motion was passed without
opposition during the afternoon sitting of the second session (119) of the
Assembly. ALIN through Ng’arua Maarifa Centre Field Officer, Sammy Nzioka,
observed the debate from the Public Gallery of the Assembly after getting a
briefing from the mover of the motion prior to the debate.
Apiculture (Bee keeping) has become
an important enterprise in the livestock sub sector. Currently only 20% of the
country’s honey production potential has been tapped. The current policy on
apiculture is broadly to develop a modern bee keeping industry in the country
to provide additional income to rural households.
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