IGATI COMMUNITY ONE MILLION BEE HIVES PROJECT OVERVIEW
Project Title: Igati Community One Million Bee Hive Project
Initiating Organization: Igati Creative and Innovators NGO – A Social Entrepreneurship Movement
Launch Date: August 19, 2024
Launch Event Highlights:
The project was officially launched by reggae icon Pato Banton and Antoinette Rootsdaughter. Pato Banton’s legacy, rooted in impactful community initiatives worldwide, was brought to Meru County, giving a strong endorsement to this community-driven project and emphasizing its potential for transformative socioeconomic change.
Project Partners
Project Vision
To create a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous community in Meru County by harnessing the potential of modern beekeeping to stimulate economic growth, encourage environmental stewardship, and provide a platform for value-added agricultural innovation.
Project Components
1. Community Outreach and Mobilization
An outreach program to encourage public participation in modern beekeeping practices.
Formation and strengthening of cooperative societies for beekeepers in four key zones of Meru County: Igembe, Tigania, Imenti, and Buuri.
Engagement and education efforts aimed at helping local residents understand the benefits of bee farming and opportunities within the project.
2. Training and Empowerment of Community Leaders
Training programs focused on beekeeping practices, cooperative management, and community leadership.
Empowering local leaders to act as mentors, ensuring sustainable knowledge transfer and community support.
3. Provision of Equipment and Knowledge
Supplying bee farming equipment, including hives, protective gear, and essential tools.
Ongoing training in modern bee farming techniques for participating households, promoting best practices for optimal production and quality.
4. Value Addition and Market Development
Support for establishing value-added bee products, such as honey, beeswax, royal jelly, and propolis, creating a range of marketable bi-products.
Plans to open union shops in major towns, including Maua, Kirindine, Nkubu, Meru Town, and Timau, to ensure direct access to local and regional markets.
5. Resource Mobilization and Partnerships
Actively seeking support from donors, corporates, government bodies, and philanthropists to fund and sustain the project.
Partnership efforts focused on securing resources, technical expertise, and market linkages.
Target Impact
Households Impacted: 10,000 households across Meru County
Beneficiaries: Over 50,000 individuals, including farmers, families, and cooperative members
Expected Outcomes
Income Generation: Increased household incomes through honey sales and bee product diversification.
Food Security: Improved local food production due to bees’ role in crop pollination.
Environmental Conservation: Reforestation and sustainable agricultural practices integrated within beekeeping efforts.
Value Addition: Development of rural economies through processing and selling bee-related products, fostering local industry.
The One Million Beehive Project In Pictorials
