How Nuru Kenya equips farmers to improve their beekeeping practices and formalize their businesses

In Baringo County, honey is more than just a product. It is a tradition and a lifeline in rural communities with limited access to income-generating activities. Yet, despite being Kenya’s leading honey-producing county, the sector has not reached its full potential. Low yields, limited training, lack of equipment, and poor market access create limitations for  local beekeepers.

Nuru Kenya is working with over 300 beekeepers across five cooperatives in Tiaty to change this. By equipping farmers with modern hive management skills, value addition techniques, and stronger market linkages, Nuru is helping them boost yields, diversify into by-products like beeswax and propolis (bee glue made from wax for seal hives), and earn higher incomes.

Nuru’s goal is to transform beekeeping from a subsistence activity into a thriving enterprise that supports families, strengthens cooperatives, and helps communities break the cycle of extreme poverty.

Backstory: History of Beekeeping in Baringo County 

The local residents have kept bees for over a decade, using a traditional method of housing the hive in a hollowed-out log that is suspended from a tall tree branch. These logs, made from locally available materials, keep costs low, while hanging them high above the ground helps protect the hives from predators and flooding during heavy rains.

Hollowed out log bee hive in Tiaty Sub-County

When it comes time to harvest, however, the process is both risky and labor-intensive. Many beekeepers climb trees at night, using smoke to calm the bees before collecting honey from the log hives. Without protective gear or modern tools, this method often puts beekeepers in harm’s way and compromises the quality of honey.

After harvest, honey is usually sold either through brokers, who purchase in bulk at low prices, or directly by individual farmers at local markets. While this provides some income, the absence of packaging, branding, and market linkages prevents beekeepers from capitalizing on the value of their product.

What challenges are beekeepers facing in Baringo County?

Beekeeping has long been part of the cultural and economic fabric of Tiaty, Baringo County. With its vast acacia woodlands and rich floral diversity, the region holds immense potential for honey production. Yet, despite this natural advantage, local beekeepers face significant challenges that limit both productivity and income:

• Low Yields and Hive Theft – Most farmers still depend on traditional log hives, which produce only small amounts of honey per harvest. At the same time, hive theft is common, stripping families of their hard work and discouraging them from expanding their apiaries.
• Lack of Protective Gear and Tools – Harvesting without protective suits, smokers, or proper kits puts beekeepers at constant risk of painful stings. The absence of these tools also leads to rough handling of hives, lowering honey quality and reducing earnings.
• Limited Resources and Training – Modern hive management practices, pest control methods, and value-addition skills such as honey processing are out of reach for many. Without access to training and resources, beekeepers are unable to increase yields or tap into higher-value markets.
• Poor Market Access and Packaging – Even when honey is harvested, most of it is sold raw in bulk and without branding. This leaves farmers dependent on middlemen and locked out of premium markets.
• Bee Deaths, Migration, and Pests – Unpredictable weather, pesticide use, and pests, such as wax moths and ants, contribute to frequent colony losses. Bee migration further disrupts production cycles, making harvests unreliable and income unpredictable.
• Reliance on Honey Alone – Honey is the only product many beekeepers market. By-products such as beeswax and propolis remain unused, even though they hold significant commercial value. This missed opportunity limits income diversification and resilience.

How does Nuru Kenya support Baringo County beekeepers? 

With Nuru Kenya’s support, many of the barriers that Baringo County beekeepers face are being addressed in practical and lasting ways:

• Improved hives and secure apiaries are reducing theft and boosting yields.
• Protective gear and harvesting kits allow farmers to work safely while maintaining honey quality.
• Training in modern beekeeping practices equips farmers to manage colonies, control pests, and harvest effectively.
• Packaging, branding, and marketing support help farmers access premium markets at better prices.
• Diversification into by-products such as beeswax, propolis, lip balm, and candles is creating new income streams.
• Group formation and cooperative strengthening build resilience and bargaining power for smallholders.

While some challenges, like climate change, have no quick fixes, Nuru sees beekeeping itself as an effective climate change adaptation measure. It offers families a way to diversify livelihoods, earn income even during harsh dry seasons, and reduce over-reliance on rain-fed farming and shoats.

Training That Transforms

In August 2025, a group of Tiaty farmers travelled to the National Beekeeping Institute in Lenana for a one-week intensive training and certification program on manufacturing compliance. From August 14-18, they gained hands-on skills in:

• Honey packaging and labeling
• Beeswax processing
• Propolis extraction
• Lip balm and candle making
• Marketing strategies for bee products

The training was a turning point for farmers who returned with practical skills that will help them increase yields, diversify their income, and strengthen their cooperatives.

Farmers pose for a photo with the tutors after training at the National Beekeeping Institute, 2025

Display of packaged honey by-products from the training

What is the future of beekeeping in Baringo County?

Beekeeping in Baringo is emerging as a vital pathway for income, food security, and environmental resilience. As the sector grows, the question is: What does the future of beekeeping in Baringo look like, and how can communities best prepare for it?

Evaluating Progress

A scheduled evaluation will measure the impact of current initiatives by looking at honey yields, household income growth, hive survival rates, and the adoption of modern practices. These insights will highlight what is working well and where additional support is needed.

Embracing the Right Technologies

Not all innovations are suitable for Baringo’s semi-arid conditions. The focus must remain on technologies that are practical, affordable, and sustainable for local farmers. Promising solutions include:

• Improved hive designs adapted to arid and semi-arid lands
• Affordable protective gear and harvesting kits that enhance safety and quality
• Low-cost honey processing and packaging equipment
• Solar-powered tools for beeswax and propolis processing

Next Steps for Growth

Technology alone is not enough. To truly unlock the potential of beekeeping, several next steps are essential:

• Expand training and mentorship to ensure farmers gain hands-on skills in modern hive management
• Strengthen producer groups and cooperatives so farmers can benefit from collective bargaining and shared resources
• Build reliable market linkages with processors and premium buyers who value high-quality, branded honey
• Support packaging, branding, and diversification into by-products such as beeswax, propolis, and candles.

The Sweet Spot for Resilience

Beekeeping in Tiaty, Baringo is about building resilient households, stronger cooperatives that provide members with access to quality inputs, knowledge and skills to enhance their productivity as well as linkages to suitable markets for increased income leading to thriving communities. With improved training, market access, and support, beekeeping offers farmers a less demanding, more sustainable livelihood that secures their future in the face of climate change. By investing in beekeeping today, we are investing in a future where families can send their children to school, afford better amenities to improve their wellbeing and build lives of dignity and opportunity.