our impacts

Our IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE 1. Income and Poverty Reduction. Our farmers in Chitundo village in kabompo under chief kalunga, area no-longer cut trees to manufacture hives. After a successful public lecture on smart apiculture they have since abandoned bad beekeeping methods. Honey is cash that stays in the village once they harvest and sell the honey. 2. Food and Nutrition Security Bees pollinate the crops we eat: pumpkins, beans, groundnuts, mangoes, fruits (Zinkau), watermelons. Fields near beehives have 30-50% higher yields. No bees is equal to poor harvest. Miombo forests fruits and honey together prevent child malnutrition during hunger months (Oct-Feb). 3. Women and Youth Empowerment Beekeeping does not need land title or heavy labour, so women and youths can own it . In Manyinga, about 60% women in areas we have visited have registered to venture into beekeeping. The bee keepers in this area use honey money for school fees and clinic costs. Youths have stopped charcoal burning and become Bee Keepers instead of tree cutters. 4. Cultural Survival No bees - No pollination - No trees -No wood No fire. Saving bees is directly saving the next generation. Our targeted audience have adhered to smart apiculture and embraced sustainable methods 5. Health Pure organic forest honey is medicine. It treats coughs, wounds and boosts immunity. It replaces sugar in porridge for children too. B. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 1. Forest Protection - The Best Forest Guards are Beekeepers A beekeeper will NEVER allow bush fires near his hives. He becomes a fire policeman.1 beekeeper protects on average 20 hectares of Miombo forest around his hives.500 beekeepers = 10,000 hectares of forest protected for free. 2. Pollination and Tree Regeneration 75% of Zambia's wild trees depend on bees for pollination. Miombo forests need bees to fruit. More bees means more natural seedlings. 3. Climate Action Protected forests absorb CO2. One hectare of Miombo absorbs 4-6 tons of CO2 per year. Beekeeping is Zero-Emission livelihood, unlike charcoal which emits CO2 and this is what we are encouraging. 4. Biodiversity When bees thrive, birds, insects, mushrooms and animals thrive. Bees are the indicator species - if bees are happy, the whole ecosystem is healthy. 5. Stops Destructive Practices A community that earns from honey stops: Charcoal burning Indiscriminate chitemene cutting, Poaching (beekeepers patrol forests daily)