Modern beehives, such as the Langstroth and the Kenyan Top Bar hives, are transforming the way beekeeping is practiced in Rwanda, particularly for women.

Unlike traditional log hives that are set high in trees and hard to manage, modern hives sit on stands, are easy to open, and let beekeepers harvest honey without damaging the hive or harming the bees.

The Langstroth hive, originally developed in the U.S., uses wooden frames that bees fill with honey, which can be removed and reused season after season. The Kenyan Top Bar hive, on the other hand, has a sloped design that’s simple to build and ideal for small-scale farmers.

According to the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), a single modern hive can produce up to 60 kilograms of honey a year, far more than the 5 to 10 kilograms typically harvested from traditional hives.

This shift to modern techniques is not just boosting honey production; it’s also drawing more women into beekeeping, thanks to better tools, training, and growing support from NGOs and government programs.

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One of those women is Umy Uwimana, a young Rwandan entrepreneur and founder of 3N Farms, a honey production business she launched in 2020. After years of working in supply and agriculture, Uwimana was inspired to pursue beekeeping through a personal connection with an elderly honey producer she used to buy from, a man who later encouraged her to take over the work.

"I didn’t jump in right away, at first, I was just buying and selling honey. But when he started teaching me how bees actually work, how they make honey, how to care for them — I became hooked,” she said.

Uwimana started small. Her first batch of honey came from just one jerrycan, which she sold to a neighbour who ran a small shop. She paid close attention to customer feedback, which helped shape her decision to officially launch her honey business later that year.

As her ambition grew, so did her understanding of the limitations of traditional beekeeping. That’s when she decided to shift to modern beehives.

"The modern hives changed everything, and I only realised that when I started using them, they produce more honey in a shorter time, and you don’t destroy the hive during harvest. With the traditional ones, everything was mixed: honey, wax, even water sometimes. It was messy and wasteful,” She explained.

Uwimana now manages 100 modern beehives, primarily Langstroth hives, and works with smallholder beekeepers in Ngororero and Gatsibo districts to supplement her supply. On average, each of her hives can produce up to 60 kilograms per season.

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Solange Uwituze, Deputy Director General at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), highlights that many women are joining beekeeping through cooperative groups, where they learn technical skills, share equipment, and market honey collectively.

"These cooperatives help women build confidence, improve leadership, and take part in financial decision-making at home and in the community. Beekeeping also gives them an independent source of income,” she said.

One major reason for the shift is that beekeeping requires little land and time, allowing women to manage hives while still handling farming or childcare duties. Modern hives can be placed near homes, gardens, or forest edges, making them a practical livelihood choice.

Uwituze also noted that many women are drawn to the environmental benefits of beekeeping, such as improved pollination for nearby crops and forest conservation.

It’s a climate-smart, low-impact activity that supports both livelihoods and the environment. In places like Nyungwe, women-led cooperatives are producing sustainable honey while increasing family incomes and uplifting entire communities. The rising number of female beekeepers is also associated with better nutrition, improved access to education for children, and enhanced community resilience," she explained.

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Emilienne Mukasine, a member of a women’s beekeeping cooperative, began her beekeeping journey in 2012 but shifted to modern beehives only in recent years after receiving training and support.

While she says the switch has brought more knowledge and better honey yields, she also points out some persistent challenges.

"We began using modern beehives after receiving training on how to manage them. At one point, we even got funding to help us start, but now the main issues are pesticides and climate change. When it rains heavily, we can’t harvest, and pesticides also harm our bees,” she said.

Uwituze acknowledged that pesticides and climate change remain key challenges, but added that training on safe farming practices and better hive placement is helping reduce bee losses.

Modern beekeeping has become an important source of income for women due to its low startup costs and high-value products like honey, beeswax, and propolis. She noted that with support from NGOs and cooperatives, many women are now using modern hives, which produce more honey than traditional ones.