KABALE, July 2, 2026 — The Birambo Beekeeping Group in Maziba Subcounty, Kabale district, has received modern beekeeping equipment worth approximately Shs37.5 million under the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project [UCSATP], a government initiative aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, improving household incomes and strengthening farmers’ resilience to climate change.
The equipment was handed over on Monday by the Kabale District Local Government Production Department during a ceremony attended by district leaders, technical officers and members of the beneficiary group.
The package comprises 200 modern beehives, 20 smokers, 20 honey harvesting buckets, 20 hive knives, 20 bee brushes, 20 hive tools, 20 bee suits, 20 pairs of gumboots and 20 pairs of protective gloves. The equipment is expected to improve honey production, quality and safety among members of the Birambo Beekeeping Group.
Speaking at the handover, the Kabale District Senior Entomologist, Honest Tumuhirwe, commended the Government of Uganda, Kabale District Local Government and UCSATP for supporting farmers through initiatives that promote sustainable agriculture and improve livelihoods.
She urged members of the group to work collectively in harvesting, processing, packaging and marketing their honey, saying collective marketing would enable them to access larger and more lucrative markets, negotiate better prices, standardise product quality and ultimately increase their incomes.
Tumuhirwe also encouraged the group to register formally with the district, noting that registered farmer groups are better placed to benefit from future government programmes, training opportunities and development interventions.
She explained that UCSATP operates under a co-funding arrangement in which beneficiary groups contribute 20 per cent of the total project cost, while the government finances the remaining 80 percent.
According to Tumuhirwe, the Birambo Beekeeping Group contributed Shs 7,487,800 towards the project, while the Government of Uganda provided Shs 29,951,200, bringing the total investment to approximately Shs 37.5 million.
She said the group’s 20 members would each receive 10 modern beehives, one smoker, one hive knife, one hive tool, one bee brush, one bee suit, one pair of gumboots, one pair of protective gloves and honey harvesting equipment to support efficient production.
Tumuhirwe called on the beneficiaries to use the equipment responsibly, saying proper management of the beehives and adherence to recommended beekeeping practices would increase honey production, improve product quality, raise household incomes and enhance environmental conservation through pollination.
Representing the Kabale Chief Administrative Officer, Robert Mugabe, the Senior Assistant Secretary, Emmy Namanya, praised the Government of Uganda for implementing programmes that directly empower rural communities through agricultural modernisation.
Namanya said initiatives such as UCSATP are helping to accelerate Uganda’s transition from subsistence farming to a commercial, money-based economy by equipping farmers with the tools and skills needed to increase productivity.
She urged the beneficiaries to safeguard the equipment, remain united and ensure that the investment delivers lasting improvements to their livelihoods and those of the wider community.
Officiating at the handover ceremony, the Kabale District LCV Vice Chairperson, Kemanzi Hellen Prima, challenged the beneficiaries to use the equipment effectively and maximise its benefits.
She said government investments are intended to improve household incomes and reduce poverty, urging farmers to remain committed to productive agricultural practices.
Prima also encouraged members of the Birambo Beekeeping Group to become ambassadors for government agricultural programmes by mobilising other residents to form farmer groups and take advantage of available development initiatives.
She noted that agriculture remains the backbone of Kabale district’s economy and stressed the importance of adopting climate-smart farming practices to mitigate the growing effects of climate change.
The vice chairperson further encouraged farmers across the district to embrace commercial agriculture by adopting improved technologies, modern farming methods and mechanisation, where appropriate, to boost productivity, strengthen resilience and increase profitability.
UCSATP is one of the government’s flagship interventions aimed at promoting climate-resilient agriculture, improving food security and increasing household incomes through enhanced agricultural productivity and value addition.
Local leaders expressed optimism that the equipment would not only increase honey production in Maziba Subcounty but also create employment opportunities, promote environmental conservation and improve the economic well-being of beneficiary households.
https://thecooperator.news/beekeeping-kwania-cooperative-members-earning-big-from-venture/
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