Akagera National Park has designated 120,000 hectares as a buffer zone, aiming to support beekeepers in the Eastern Province. This move is part of a long-term strategy to address poaching and illegal activities in the park by providing alternative income sources for communities.
The buffer zone will serve two purposes; offering additional land for beekeepers who previously had limited space, but also demarcate park boundaries.
Speaking to The New Times, Fiston Ishimwe, the Park and Community Relations Officer at Akagera National Park said the 120,000-hectare buffer zone can accommodate up to 20,000 beehives, as opposed to the 4,000 that are currently in use.
Such expansion was received as exciting news for the farmers, who among other things, said the buffer zones would protect their bees which had been previously affected by pesticides from nearby agricultural fields.
"During the last season, 20 out of 221 beehives experienced massive death of bees due to pesticides,” said Josephine Bagiraneza, the Chairperson of COPROMI, a beekeepers' cooperative in Kayonza. She added that they have initiated discussions with farmers to schedule pesticide applications in the evening, which is safer because bees are not active during those hours.
The transition from traditional to modern beekeeping practices, including the use of advanced beehives and management techniques, is anticipated to boost honey yields in Kayonza. Experts, such as January Rukwatage, who works with FIOM, an NGO that works with vulnerable communities, emphasized the untapped potential in the beekeeping sector in the Eastern Province. A study conducted by the non-profit identified a lack of training and skills as a hindrance to sector growth.
Rukwatage stressed the need to protect and invest in beekeeping, citing the unique honey produced in the Eastern Province.
He said: "The natural forests in Kayonza yield a special honey variety with global appeal. Establishing buffer zones between agriculture and beekeeping sites minimizes negative impacts on bees and honey production."
Emmanuel Shumbusho, a beekeeper in Kayonza District, noted challenges such as insufficient training, limited beekeeping sites, and the lack of modern equipment, contributing factors to low honey production. He urged for more focus on modern beekeeping techniques to enhance productivity.
Kayonza District Mayor, John Bosco Nyemazi, sees the buffer zone as an opportunity for beekeepers to modernize. He encourages a shift from traditional to modern techniques and he hinted at ongoing discussions about bee-friendly pesticides.
The District plans to establish a honey collection center to streamline the honey trade and meet the growing demand. Despite the lack of precise figures, established cooperatives like COPROMI reported harvesting 24 tons of honey in 2022.