In Laikipia North Sub-County, beekeeping has long been a traditional livelihood for many households; yet most small-scale beekeepers have never been able to earn a reliable income from it. Limited technical skills, poor hive management, and the absence of structured market access meant that many like Lydia Nderitu, a member of the Naamaiyana Loreto Women Self‑Help Group, struggled to turn beekeeping into a meaningful business.
“We were really trying, but selling our honey was difficult,” Lydia recalls. “We didn’t know the proper ways to maintain the hives, and finding buyers was a challenge.”
Lydia’s journey changed when her group was introduced to Swisscontact’s NURTURE project. For the first time, Lydia saw a structured opportunity not only to strengthen her technical skills but also to connect directly to formal markets.
“I became interested because they offered training on proper beekeeping practices,” she says. “Before, I wasn’t even monitoring my hives, but this motivated me to join.”
For this project, Swisscontact partnered with Savannah Honey, a private-sector enterprise specializing in beekeeping training and commercial honey processing. Savannah Honey provided Lydia’s group with practical training, continuous mentorship, and essential improvements such as hive refurbishment.
“The training from Savannah Honey has made a real difference,” Lydia shares. “I now understand how to maintain my hives properly and apply better practices to produce high‑quality products.”
Through NURTURE, Lydia discovered that beekeeping is not limited to honey alone. The production of bee pollen, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom opened her eyes to new income streams and higher‑value products.
“I’ve learned that beekeeping isn’t just about honey,” she explains. “There are many additional products we can offer.”
This shift in perspective moved Lydia from subsistence beekeeping toward a market‑oriented, diversified micro‑enterprise.
Before NURTURE, Lydia and other members of the community had no reliable buyers. Now, with direct links to Savannah Honey, she has predictable market access and the confidence to scale. For many households in Laikipia North, this new income means more than profit; it means stability, better food security, and reduced conflict.
Today, Lydia stands as an example of what is possible when skills development, private-sector partnership, and community-led value chains come together. She is not only a skilled beekeeper; she is an entrepreneur charting a sustainable pathway to long‑term prosperity.
Lydia’s story demonstrates the transformational potential of this model across Laikipia and beyond.
We invite partners who share this vision to join us in strengthening rural enterprises and expanding market‑driven opportunities for women and youth.