Rongo University has signed an MoU with the Apiculture Venture to enhance the institution’s vibrant research and innovation in beekeeping and honey production in the country.
This comes after the United Nations, during this year’s World Bee Day, observed that bees and other pollinators were under threat from human activities, a situation that is currently affecting global food security, nutrition and economic development.
The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Samuel Gudu, emphasised the need for protecting bees as a pollinator since through pollination, the insect sustains human life and significantly maintains biodiversity and ecosystem for agriculture to thrive.
He said it was therefore significant for the institutions of higher learning to create awareness about the importance of pollinators such as bees.
This he said includes the threats they are currently facing, and to also embrace beekeeping and honey production in areas of research, pollination ecology, climate resilience and biotechnology applications.
“We have decided to collaborate with Apiculture Venture to promote the development of innovative beekeeping technologies that will include smart hives, disease diagnostics and digital monitoring,” he said.
Prof Gudu further said the institution was committed to providing physical space, infrastructure and research support for apiculture activities and facilitate student and community participation in incubation programmes and training.
“The university will also support the development of curricula, research activities, and knowledge sharing in the partnership,” he added.
Chief executive officer and managing director, Pauline Kamwara, said through the collaboration, the two partners will also focus on training workshops, field days, exhibitions, and short courses for farmers, students and other stakeholders.
Speaking during the MoU signing, Kamwara said Apiculture Ventures is happy to collaborate with Rongo University in this venture.
“As a partner, we shall provide technical expertise, modern equipment and apiculture training resources.”
She added that they shall also lead incubation activities and mentorship for apiculture startups and support marketing, branding and value addition initiatives for bee products.
Rongo University is currently producing honey and has trained local farmers on beekeeping and honey production.
Prof Zachary Ngalo, the Initiative in-charge, said the partnership will lead to the establishment and management of modern apiaries, and to the development of Apiculture Business Incubation Hub aimed at supporting early-stage beekeeping enterprises.
As a university, he said they are already drafting programmes for Certificate and Diploma courses on Apiculture that will soon launch.
“All these are efforts aimed at enhancing agricultural innovation, promoting environmental sustainability, and expanding opportunities for youth involvement in agribusiness,” Prof Ngalo said.
Bees are critical in agrifood systems as they promote pollination and their extinction would negatively impact on food production, nutrition and affect economic empowerment for the farmers.
