The Bees, The Trees, The Money and the Honey

Aug 31, 2023

Every year, 300,000 hectares of natural forest land in Zambia are being cut down. According to recent studies, at this rate, Zambia is likely to experience widespread soil erosion, droughts, and floods by 2044, ultimately leading to famine. This scenario will be especially devastating in the rural parts of Zambia, where 78% of the population lives below the poverty line. 

Simultaneously, bees stand as one of the most crucial species on Earth, as their pollination efforts contribute to approximately one-third of the world’s food production. Despite their significance, bees are currently endangered due to factors such as habitat loss, diseases, pesticides, and climate change. 

In 2020, Siphiwe Lukama graduated from the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program and was awarded a US$25,000 grant from USADF. Drawing inspiration from her childhood spent on a farm with beehives, she founded Kasenga Agro Solutions. This enterprise aims to empower local women with beekeeping skills, addressing rural poverty and enhancing the quality of life for families in her community. 

With the provided funds, Siphiwe established training programs for local women, procured 110 beehives, and obtained the necessary resources to kickstart Kasenga’s honey production business. By March 2021, these funds successfully supported Kasenga Agro Solutions in training the initial cohort of 24 women as outgrowers, along with a quality control farmer in forest management, beekeeping, harvesting, and financial literacy. This training culminated in the graduates receiving their own beehives. 

Afterward, Kasenga proceeded to train more women, leading to a total of 50 women becoming outgrowers. They also increased their workforce, including both part-time and full-time staff, and took steps to brand their honey products.. This expansion resulted in increased output, with the group now producing 400 bottles of honey weekly. These products are distributed to five stores in Lusaka for sale. By 2022, their efforts translated to a revenue of $11,865, and they are projected to experience a 66% revenue increase for 2023, reaching US$19,760. 

Through this initiative, Siphiwe is empowering women within her community and contributing to environmental improvement, all while producing high-quality honey. In her own words, USADF funding has unlocked doors for her as a young female entrepreneur, providing the necessary startup capital and enabling her to pursue work aligned with her deepest passion. This support is helping her devise strategies to alleviate poverty and enhance the quality of life for women in rural Zambian communities living below the poverty threshold. With the backing of USADF funding, honey is now serving as a mechanism for reducing poverty, and the women of Kasenga are embracing sustainable practices.