Bee farmers from Nandi County have been urged to embrace organic farming, which discourages the use of agrochemicals that remain a threat to the survival of bees.
The farmers and the stakeholders, during the marking of World Bee Day in Nandi County, said the population of bees was under threat if farmers continued the use of killer pesticides and herbicides.
Dickson Tanui from the Highlands Honey in Nandi Hills suggested to the agrochemical companies to avail herbicides and pesticides which are friendly to bee survival for the future continuity of honey production.
“We are asking agrochemical companies to launch pest and herb killer products that are friendly to the bees,” Tanui posed.
On his side, Conservation Secretary, Kenya Wildlife Service, Dr John Chumo said that bees were undergoing serious challenges, including climate change, habitat loss and continued use of deadly pesticides and herbicides in modern farming.
“As a country, it is high time we look at other weeds and pests control alternatives other than continued use of pesticides and herbicides because we have seen these chemicals are the key killer of our bees. There is a trend nationally and even internationally where the bee population is reducing everyday due to climate change, habitat loss and use of killer chemicals,” he said.
Chumo however, appealed to the Nandi residents to embrace bee farming for the purpose of boosting economic gains.
The official singled out plenty of biodiversity in Nandi, which includes forests and wetlands favourable for beekeeping, as a key reason for the residents to invest more in bee farming.
He revealed that Nandi County remains among top producers of honey in North Rift because some bee farmers were properly utilizing the existing favourable ecosystem in the region.
Anglican Church cleric Rev. Philip Ruto, also present at the event, asked churches in Nandi to mobilize the youths in their churches to form groups with the aim of keeping bees.
Ruto said that beekeeping is the biggest employer among the youths if proper messaging and engagement is done.
The church minister also challenged existing beekeepers across the county to form groups that will lead to the formation of cooperative societies key in bargaining better honey prices both locally and internationally.
World Bee Day was hosted by Highlands Honey in collaboration with Kiptabkei Environmental CBO and Nandi East Kenya Forest Service Station, where 3,000 trees were planted to mark the day.
By Geoffrey Satia
