Creating a buzz in the Nou Forest

06 August 2013

Photo: Lucia with her beehives

44 year old Lucia Chami is just one of the 23,000 people benefitting from Farm Africa’s support in Tanzania’s Nou Forest.

Since joining a Farm Africa beekeeping group in 2009, Lucia has become a very successful beekeeper. Sales of her honey have not only enabled her to cover household expenses, such as providing food and schooling costs for her family, but also enabled her to open her own shop.

Initially, Lucia was a reluctant beekeeper. Traditionally, beekeeping was seen as a male activity, while she was also fearful about being stung.

“In the past I was afraid of being stung by bees but Farm Africa gave us modern equipment that protects us and this is why I don’t fear them anymore,” says Lucia.

Growing success

When she started beekeeping, Farm Africa supported her with eight beehives. Her success in producing and selling honey has led her to increase that number to twelve, with which she is able to produce 75kg of honey a year. She plans, by 2014, to have increased that number again to twenty beehives.

In addition to selling raw honey, she is also now planning to begin producing various goods such as candles, lotions and ointments, using the waste beeswax left over from honey processing.

As a result of Lucia’s success, her beekeeping group selected her to become a member of their marketing committee. This has led her to attend two trade exhibitions and has enhanced her knowledge and understanding of honey marketing. Her success has also encouraged other women in her village to join the beekeeping group.

Photo: Lucia in her shop

Meanwhile, the shop she has opened with some of the proceeds of her beekeeping is doing well. It sells a range of foodstuffs and soft drinks, and of course tasty honey.

Find out more about our work in Tanzania.

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