Rukiga Enjoki Association (REA).

Deep in the relief of Rukiga District, where the rolling hills cradle a rich ecosystem of towering eucalyptus, flourishing banana plantations, and vibrant wildflowers, a perfect environment for bees to thrive.

Background Information:

In Uganda, about 1.2 million people are involved in bee farming, about 1,500 people in Rukiga District who mainly use traditional methods of beekeeping and honey production.

People in Rukiga traditionally used honey for:

Sweetening sorghum porridge.
Fermenting it in porridge to make alcoholic drink.
Medicinal purposes.

Beekeeping in Rukiga is untapped and yet has potential for household income and foreign earnings. Honey, wax and other products, even with no value added, are on high demand nationally and internationally. Beekeeping and honey production are safe natural processes, and can be engaged in by anybody including teachers, health workers, youth, people with disabilities, boda boda cyclists, church/mosque staff, students, women in agriculture, diary farmers.Beekeeping in Rukiga has traditionally been for men and there is a need to encourage women, youth and people with disabilities to participate in beekeeping. Beekeeping is a type of and source of employment.

The're two seasons of honey production in Rukiga District, February to May (Less honey) & July to October (More honey). The Government of Uganda Parish Development Model (PDM) gives one million uganda shillings (1,000,000ugx) to one member of a poor household every year to get out of poverty. If such a member buys 20 beehives, he/she shall earn about two million ugandan shillings (2,000,000ugx) the first season and four million shillings (4,000,000ugx) the second season. That amounts to six million shillings (6,000,000ugx) every year. Growing coffee is being encouraged in Rukiga District as a cash crop, if one person plants coffee seedlings, and another one hangs beehives in a tree, the beekeeper will start earning within 6 months while the coffee will start earning 2-3 years. A senior primary school teacher on a government payroll earns about six million shillings (6,000,000ugx) per year and if he/she practices beekeeping of 20 hives, he/she will earn an extra six million shillings per year, earning him/her a total of twelve million shillings (12,000,000ugx) per year.

Increased household income enables households to meet their basic needs for-example school fees for children, meeting for medical bills, purchasing livestock, doing community business, buying land, constructing houses, among other needs, Generally a better quality of life for the members of the household.

The Challenges of Beekeeping and Honey Production in Rukiga District and beekeepers include:

Not knowing the household income potential of beekeeping and therefore not developing into more productive beekeeping.
Operating as individuals, hand-to-mouth, and failing to access meaningful honey market.
Continuing to practice traditional methods and failing to achieve good quantities and high quality honey.

Rukiga Enjoki Association (REA) was formed to address the above mentioned challenges.

Logic of the association

If more beehives (beehive - Ebihumi) are available, more bees shall inhabit them and high quantity of honey shall be harvested. If market is available for honey, beekeepers shall earn more money and increase household income.

Honey in a jar, honey powered on the honey-comb & green leaves on the side.

People seated on chairs being addressed by a man.

Men seated on grass surrounded by a green scenery with hills behind them.

LEGAL STATUS

On the 5th day of May, 2023 the association was duly registered as a Community Based Organization under Reg. 073 by Rukiga District Local Government Community Based Services.

GOAL

Mobilize and Organize beekeepers to participate in meaningful honey business enterprise.

VISION

A financially independent community of beekeepers with sufficient household income.

MISSION

Empowering beekeepers by mobilizing them and supporting them for high yield production, marketing and sale of honey

Objectives

The main 3 objectives are:

Sensitize the community members about benefits of bees and honey
Mobilize bee keepers into organized groups for honey production.
Provide some beehives and teach beekeepers on how to make their own beehives.

The other objectives are to teach and train organized groups on good methods of beekeeping and honey production, occupational hazards and protection, good methods of harvestion (Okuhakura), processing and storage of honey, preservation of the environment through beekeeping, and to mobilize market & sale of honey.

Target

The association targets about 1,500 people involved in beekeeping in Rukiga District.
About 7,500 people, (5 per person - household) are expected to benefit from activities of the Association. In addition, people who depend on wetlands for agriculture shall be targeted and mobilized for beekeeping as an alternative source of household income and only use wetlands for this purpose.

Membership

A person who keeps atleast one beehive.
A organized group of beekeepers

Membership Benefits

Training on modern beekeeping practices.
Guaranteed market access for honey & other products.
Support in processing & packaging
Networking with other beekeepers

Organization of the association

The General Assembly is the highest decision making organ.The Executive Committee acts for and on behalf of the Association in its day-to-day operations, and implements the decisions and policies passed by the General Assembly. The Patron promotes, upholds and raises the prestige and profile pf the Association at public and other functions.

Rukiga Enjoki Association Enquiry Form.

For more information about our beekeeping practices & how to join, partner, support the association.

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