Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

We promote good Bee keeping practices by taking care of the Honey bee and encouraging Agri climate smart through Beekeeping services. Selling Honey and beehives.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Beekeeping is emerging as a very successful agricultural practice for local people in kenya and within makueni county. Not only does the practice of beekeeping have intrinsic health benefits through providing a food source of great nutritional value which is lacking in rural areas, but beekeeping requires few inputs and capitalizes on a ready supply of pollen. In rural areas there is almost an unlimited source of pollen and bees aid greatly in the natural cross pollination of orange and mango which are main cash crops. Health benefits for local people reliant on small agriculture to provide food are centered on the enriching qualities of honey in a diet which is usually dependent upon staple foods such as bananas and maize. The full establishment of one beehive costs around Ksh. 6,500 ($64). Projected revenue from a single hive per year is Ksh 8,000- 24,000. Beekeeping represents a viable microeconomic enterprise which pays for itself in the first year.

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

How do we handle the unemployment of the youth in Makueni county? Could you be a victim of impure honey, bee-wax or even poorly designed beehive? Well, unsafe beekeeping practices affect the quality, quantity of honey produced. There are over 300 beekeepers in Makueni county with poorly designed beehives. As a result, these bee keepers get minimum annual returns. We are supplying pure natural Tujipange Honey to five sub-county hospital staff, yet we have not been

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

Our local competitors are the Nyuki hub. We have taken a close look into their strengths and weakness as they operate in the market; they promise delayed after sell services to their customers. Our company seeks and will offer prompt timely and professional extension services to all our customers. Our shortcomings are monitoring of all hives monthly, delayed payments by some of our customers. With time we will be in a position to incorporate technology into monitoring inside the hives as the farmers gets the data concerning the health of the bees on their handset devices. We intend to support our potential clients with “ Okoa Bee-hives” where famers will pay in monthly installments. We will create a website that will enable our company to attract more clients countrywide.

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

Our niche focus is on 200 Sub County Health Staff who have displayed consistent purchase of Tujipange honey and bee wax. We conducted a customer survey on them and the results were business thrilling. 45% wished to adopt a beehive,60% were satisfied our services, and 25% were willing to offer referrals to their friends who had large pieces of un-utilized land. We concluded that if they could be empowered to own 3-10hives or even more the company would have sold 2,000 beehives. There is need to offer extension services to these hives. The county government in partnership with the world food program issued 60 beehives to 10 youth groups this is a great opportunity for the company to tap into., selling to them nectar plants, harvesting services, selling to them bees .

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2019-08-13

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

1

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.)

We have carpenters and tailor who make beesuit and beehives

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

https://www.facebook.com/share/vAzxoKsTw2NnYCLW/?mibextid=qi2Omg

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

b) Materials (agriculture, fishing, chemical products, construction materials, containers and packaging, metals and mining, paper and forest products)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Beekeeping is a viable strategy for poverty eradication due to its economic, social, and environmental benefits. By providing income, promoting agricultural productivity, and empowering marginalized groups, beekeeping can significantly improve the livelihoods of rural communities. To maximize its potential, it is essential to address challenges through supportive policies, training, and sustainable practices.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

By integrating beekeeping into agricultural and community development programs, it is possible to address both immediate food needs and long-term food security, thereby contributing to the eradication of hunger. Consuming honey bee products has nutritional value from new born babies to adults.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Honey bee products are good for treating flus and coughs and also it was a alternative COVID 19 natural prevention method when used with ginger and served hot.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

Funding of Tujipange Prompt Bee Services would enable us to have one stop shop and bee school for training new beekeepers

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Our success stories are from female beekeepers whom do not fear bee stings and also have proven to take care of bees better,high honey production

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

Bees love fresh clean water and few litres of water can be consumed by bees. Installing gutters and tanks on apiary roofs help to save water.

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Installation of solar panels on apiaries can be source of clean energy and the panels are available at affordable price

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

Hive construction and delivery of the bee hives has decent work and proffessional beekeeping can be a source of economic growth through sale of honey bee products thus generating in come

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Honey bee products need value addition and even setting up a modern beekeeping workshop in the rural areas.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

Honey from different regions can be sold to different places

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

We will have urban beekeeping and train people on save beekeeping practices on roof tops of new cities

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

6

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Beekeeping require nectar producing trees and vegetation cover and planting trees will help promote climate smart business through beekeeping

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

5

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

Beekeeping can be introduced to coastal lines where mangrove forests are. Thus promoting coexisting of fish keeping and beekeeping

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

Beekeeping is a new natural conservative method to all lands and forests, bees tend to act as barrier fence in forests

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

Bees work as a team in a colony of different ages of bees thus promoting cohesive relations at different levels.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

We would welcome partners towards understanding beekeeping practices.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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 beekeeping services that we provide to customers are unique in that we advice our customers before they make their purchases thus advising them accordingly, empower them with the knowledge about their investment.

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

Beekeeping companies selling beekeeping equipment -yatta beekeepers,umauz, we stand out in that we offer after sell services to our clients, we have flexible terms of payment

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

Most of our clients are female beekeepers and we support them every step of the way.