Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Chyullu honey processors is a apiculture project that is designed to increase productivity and profitability of honey sector within Chyullu, through introduction of modern technology to 400 farmers, on production, harvesting, value addition and marketing.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The project is a enterprise program under Chyullu Development Foundation, a local community organization operating Kibwezi East of Makueni County. Having a conglomerate of hundreds of farmers on contract farming, we intend to support 400 farmers in raising their honey and honey production capacity, and through their well controlled productivity and harvesting system, aggregate the honey and other bee products. The aggregated products will then be packaged and sold as a nutrition commodity, and in extension value added to produce bee wax, cosmetic materials and other market oriented products. The project will involve capacity enhancement of registered bee farmers into modern bee keeping, as well as backing up with other regeneration microclimate projects and supporting organic farm practices. The organization will ensure frequent farm extension services, in order to boost the quality and quantity of honey produced. A aggregation and value addition centre will then be established.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

This project is innovatively demand driven, to close the gap in where Chyullu region is one of the most potential bee populated areas, yet not exploiting on the apiculture enterprise. The project is also targeting to unionize and standardize the scattered productive ways and methods in the identified farmers, who have a big potential but always losing it, due to lack of knowledge, skills, extension support and available profitable market. Finally, the project is rallying behind the idea that although honey is being produced, and despite Chyullu honey being the most admired in the market, farmers face exploitation due to dis organized marketing, raw product sales, post harvest losses. Our intention to control production, aggregation, value addition and marketing is meant to create an enterprise agenda that supports everyone from the farmer, cooperative/ CBO to the consumers. The gap between prices of value added honey and honey products is so wide, necessitating the processing idea.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Chyullu honey is obtained from the most dense indigenous suburbs of Chyullu and Tsavo conservancies. The product is therefore the best in terms of taste and quality. Additionally, the product is safe and meets all the required one health standards, from the fact that farmers within the ecosystem are still using traditional methods in pests and disease control at all the levels of production. This project is not only gearing towards boosting the incomes of both farmers and the entire value chain, but also contributing to environmental sustainability through enhancing the ideology on greening (as a boost to bee population and operations) and promoting alternative livelihoods that ease burden on anthropogenic effects on the ecosystem. This project provides a buyer a good platform to consume healthy, nutritious honey and its products, while at the same time contributing directly to attainment of global sustainable goals.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

The project aims at serving the following identified persons: 1. The over 400 farmers and their entire households, who will directly be capacity build into modern honey production, consumption and marketing 2. The 55 CBO Members who are among the 400 farmers, and now carrying the vision of honey aggregation and value addition, 3. The targeted 16800 clients who are mapped within and outside Makueni County. 4. The government, which will gain by its citizens being more productive, healthier and then able to better impact the social. political and economic landscape.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2016-01-05

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Our technical advisor, Mr. Kennedy, runs a nationwide bee enterprise registered as Native bee care production company. Trained and equipped in India, Kennedy is perhaps the most trusted technical person our organization is aware of. We work with Kennedy's company in converting our previously traditional and scattered ways of managing apiculture in Chyullu, to the desired value addition levels as envisaged in this concept. Kennedy is well versed with all the skills and expertise that we would require to actualize this idea. Lydia Kiswii is the leading female youth aggregator and coach in Makueni county. Serving under different organizations of change and transformation, Lydia is working with our organization to assist our targeted members derive full enterprise activities at household level. She is responsible for impacting more than 100 youth and women entrepreneurs in the line of food systems. She serves with us as the mainstream food security promoter.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094364967428&__cft__[0]=AZUI_ZeZBbl1duJ5-X_p_L29Ca5Zux2MIBjbOKBtyBAAGgD6z_i-q6Cht1rc7lgHWw_xd540vo1AQTFxet7AyO7EpF9abhRIJkvLHCYD1D92gGaZSoovgI1Vw53AjoKP5UPfXwLhvweaXk-HjElXgjomJYpMVjdNiveKfb10ANMAq6rxtQMX-xC9wmnI

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

l) Agriculture

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

The project entails the direct transformation of 400 farmers and their households towards improved productivity and market access, for profitability and resilience building. The farmers are expected to boost their periodic incomes by more than double, and with effective and continuous knowledge and exposure, reduce poverty at both household and community levels. The project will introduce modern technologies on value addition on honey and honey products, providing green job opportunities to both locals and the wider society, since the idea is replicable. The

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

Our project is designed to introduce rigorous training and capacity enhancement programs alongside food systems. Some of the key target projects seen as a back up for apiculture include indigenous food growing, horticulture, fruit farming and agro forestry. The crops grown are directly going to impact on household food security, reducing hunger. Increased bee population will ensure that pollination occurs effectively, and thereby increasing food production and reducing hunger. Honey is one of most nutritious food supplements, and its increased supply will definitely reduce hunger.

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

6

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Our project is designed with keen consideration on one health agenda, with focus on product safety and security. The project is out to measure the quality honey from ecological level, where farmers are first being engaged in training and capacity enhancement towards renewable energy, conservation and organic farming. This step would be followed by investments around the apiculture value chain in ensuring that quality honey is produced at all standards. Our team will be able to track the product from production, harvesting, post harvest to storage, value addition and marketing. By the assurance that our clients will get quality honey, their health and well being is envisaged.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

By engaging the community on sustainable agriculture through rigorous capacity enhancement, the project will directly be impacting on informal education. In addition, the project is directly impacting on household livelihoods empowerment and socio economic standards.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

55% of the targeted 400 farmers are women. In addition, 68% of the applicant organization members are women. Our project will directly influence the lives of women more than the other sections of community. We understand that although women are undermined in the decision making levels of households and communities, this specific project is going to change the narrative and ensure high level social inclusion and gender mainstreaming in sustainable development. In addition, the project directly affects the food systems in our target areas. The role of rural women is highly centred within the kitchen part of the family, and this project will avail food, thereby providing role confidence in communities.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Our project is resilient and conservation friendly. Coupled with the regenerative agricultural practices that will be adopted once farmers get training on Farmer Managed natural Resources(FMNR), there is expected great improvement in water retention through natural infiltration. In addition, the project training will revolve around sustainable resource utilization, increasing the levels of water harvesting in the communities.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

5

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Our project is energy smart, with a keen focus on need for cost effective and less emitting source of energy. We willl use Solar power in the powering of machines and equipment that require energy in our farm, aggregation and value addition. Farmers will be capacity build on solarization of farm systems, as the project partners with other relevant renewable energy stakeholders to impact the same onto Chyullu and Tsavo communities.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

5

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

The project will bring about green job technologies through value addition and insistence on green energy. The current project target population is using traditional and labour intensive methods in apiculture, ana other agricultural practices. The traditional methodologies are also indecent and time wasting. By introducing smart farming technologies, the project is directly enhancing decency at work, and saving time wasted in unfriendly activities, boosting economic growth. The project team is keen on improving productivity and profitability, therefore directly impacting rural and economic growth.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Our project gears towards shift from the cheap sale of locally produced honey, into more profitable and market diverse end products after value addition. Honey and honey products serve as prime raw materials for the production of organic cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and wax industries. From our thematic research, the project on value addition can thrive well within our target area(Makueni), providing a eye opener to the advancement of apiculture value chain. This project will provide both the locally viable factory which provides the lay out for conversion of honey into other desired products like wax, lip balms, adhesives and detoxifiers.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

6

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

The project is targeting one of the most vulnerable communities, who are recovering from the long spelled human- wildlife conflict and persistent climatic disorientations. The community is now set into advancing the livelihoods agenda, through ,maximizing alternatives. In addition, the project is targeting rural farmers, who have been for the longest period, oppressed by unfavourable human and natural factors. The project comes in as a solution to all the above mentioned inequalities including gender disparities, economic inequalities, opportunity and information/ skills inequalities.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

The project is targeting to raise the levels of one health in both rural, peri urban and urban dwellings within the areas where beneficiaries are located. Through this initiative, we are directly impacting on local communities by both providing resilience and well being, and also improving the standards of living. We will also ensure that urban areas located within our area of scope get pure, quality and non- contaminated honey and honey products, leading to a healthier lifestyle. Economic growth will also be felt as a positive impact in the development of urban and rural areas.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

5

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

Our beneficiary farmers will be taken through training and capacity enhancement towards the adoption of a conservation mindset, which involves recycling of farm and household waste. The communities will learn adoption of sustainable resource utilization through the introduction of resilience management. Our quality products after processing will introduce a new culture on safety in handling goods and services, hence increasing the bargain on responsibility in productivity and consumption.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

All the activities in line with our project are climate smart, with key focus on instilling climate resilience and micro mates within the targeted production area. In preparation for quality, sustainable honey production, we are instilling conservation, biodiversity and resilience programs within Chyullu and Tsavo ecosystems. We are keen onto climate action, through conservation, farmer managed natural resource plans and alternative resilience activities. Some of our perceived activities together with beneficiary communities include greening, grass reseeding, terracing works, conservation agriculture and environmental awareness.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

The project is dryland, and does not directly impact on life below water. However, our efforts around soil conservation and reduction in the irresponsible use of Agro- chemicals will indirectly have a positive impact on waters draining all the way from our ecosystem to the Indian ocean.

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Our project is incorporating training and capacity enhancement within the Chyullu and Tsavo ecosystem areas, with respect to forest conservation, biodiversity regeneration and alternative livelihoods support. The targeted farmers, who are an entry point to the larger community, will

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

5

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

By empowering the households, the project is bringing about stability and social order, This directly impacts on peace and resilience within the community. In addition, the development of a Farmers cooperative will trigger string bargain and bond within the community there by

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

Our project is designed with high level strategic partnership amongst local farmers, opinion leaders, state departments and non state actors. The project is taking into consideration all the levels of internal and external stakeholders, with key regard to shared goals and objectives. We are creating a strong bond with market linkages.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

2

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

6

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

3

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

5

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

Our idea is uniquely the to be only established quality aggregation and processing unit in the county. While there are other private value addition centres, their quality and originality is highly questioned, and mostly utilizing fading technology. This project is designed to introduce technological standards in checking the quality and originality of honey and honey products, for sustainable development agenda. Our event is the only to be influencing quality assurance all the way from the farm level, to the farmers, to the harvesting, aggregation, processing and consumer level. We are also the only community based organization to organize and succesfully run a enterprise that

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Our main competitors are the other honey aggregators brokers. There are a number of locally packaged honey products in the market, with most of these products raising questions around quality and originality. Our products are specifically peculiar, having studied the gaps in society and space. First, our honey is the most customer satisfying based on local client results that we have gathered by supplying the already available Chyullu honey. Secondly, by developing a system of adding value to our products, we have a upper hand in the market orientation, through going an extra mile and showcasing a more profitable approach to dealing with the value chain, without losing the quality of farm product.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

As the chairperson Chyullu Development Foundation, the YALI RLC representative for Lower Eastern and a seasoned social entrepreneur, we have a record of supporting women towards livelihoods and socio economic growth and development. In total, we have initiated the systems establishment of 60 women groups from a traditional setting to currently table banking, financing and property management. Additionally, we have partnered with Makueni county government to issue more than Kes 100,000,000 to local female entrepreneurs. We have now a list of more than 20 locally established entrepreneurs who are beneficiaries of our initial entrepreneurship training back in 2015. Through the food systems programs for Makueni county, we have currently supported more than 200 young farmers into agribusiness. These mentioned farmers are part of the 400 who are targeted under this program.