Kilimo endelevu africa issue 01 Sustainable Agriculture in Africa Journal by ALIN / LEISA By Polycarp Otieno

1. JULY2009VOL1ISSUE1
Magazine on Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture
the role of
endelevu Africa
rural entrepreneurship
in development

2. 2
KEAAFRICA
Kilimo Endelevu Africa (KEA Africa)
is a Magazine on Low External
Input and Sustainable Agriculture
JULY 2009 VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1
KEA Africa is published quarterly
by ALIN and ILEIA (Institute for
Low External Input in Sustainable
Agriculture)
AAYMCA Building, Ground Floor
State House Crescent
Off State House Avenue
P.O. Box 10098 - 00100
Nairobi - KENYA
Tel: +254 20 2737813
Fax: +254 20 2737813
Email: info@alin.or.ke
URL: www.alin.or.ke
James Nguo
Polycarp Otieno Onyango - Chief Editor
Noah Lusaka
Esther Lung’ahi
Maimuna Kabatesi
Sharon Mutiga
The Editors of KEA Africa have taken every care
to ensure that contents of this journal are as
accurate as possible. The authors have ultimate
responsibility, however, for the contents of
individual articles.
CONTENTS
In order to ensure sustainability
of forests, economic benefits
from the forests must provide
the motivation for private
owners to conserve them.
Further there is need to
promote and facilitate rural
community members to
establish Forest- Based
Enterprises (FBEs) in controlled
and systematic manner. This
has potential to reverse the rate
of forest degradation in Uganda
and generate significant
benefits to rural communities.
7. Development of Forest-Based
Enterprises, FBE’s in Uganda
Entrepreneurship in relation
to small-scale farming is now
a popular theme, giving the
false impression that a major
transition is suddenly taking
place: the small-scale farmer-
cultivator giving way to the
farmer - entrepreneur; the
subsistence - oriented farmer
entering the capitalist or market
economy. In reality, small-scale
farmers have a long history of
having one foot in a subsistence
economy and the other in a
market-oriented one.
By Bugaari Ambrose
4. Enhancing farmers’ entrepreneurship:
creating conditions for growth
By Arno Maatman and Ted Schrader
Once, the women of Muddana
Guddi, a village in Raichur district,
in the southern Indian state of
Karnataka, suffered from drought
and poverty, forcing them to
migrate to neighbouring states
for work. Now, they are earning
their own livelihoods by running
a business worth hundreds of
thousands of rupees. The women
collect readily available neem tree
seeds, to produce and sell neem
cake. They have been so successful
that they received a UNDP award.
10. For these women,
money does grow on (neem) trees
By P.A Chaya
Cover Photo: By Alexander
Mwanza Musila
Wairimu Ngugi - Consulting Editor
Ngugi Wathuge - Layout and Design
James Mugo - Illustrations
Regional Editions
Consultants
Editorial team
Contacts
1. LEISA Global Edition by ILEIA
2. LEISA REVISTA de Agroecologia,
Latin America Edition by Asociacion
ETC Andes
3. LEISA India, by AME Foundation
4. SALAM Majalah Pertanian Berkelan-
jutan by VECO Indonesia
5. AGRIDAPE, French West African Edi-
tion by IED Afrique
6. Agriculturas, Experiencias em
Agroecologia, the Brazilian edition by
AS - PTA
7. Chinese Edition by CBIK
Disclaimer

3. 3
JULY2009
13. From waste beeswax to candles and jelly
By Naomi Muchiri and Josephat Changole
Potential production of beeswax
in Kenya is estimated to be 10,000
metric tones per year. However
due to lack of equipments,
technical know-how among other
factors, much of the produced
beeswaxgoestowaste.Aself-help
group based in Baringo district,
some 302 kilometres from Nairobi
begun harvesting and processing
candles and bee jelly as an
alternative source of livelihood to
the livestock keeping community
members.
27. Plenty of fruits, but also plenty of hurdles
Many types of fruit grow in the
Uluguru mountains in Tanzania and
the sunshine needed to dry them is
plentiful and free. The combination
of these facts could mean a good
business for farmers. But it is not so
simple. Even the most entrepreneurial
and dedicated of people will still have
plenty of hurdles to overcome. To sell
a bag of dried mangoes, you need not
only preservatives and packaging, but
also quite a number of official permits
and certificates.
By Anders P. Pedersen
Dear readers...
Arid Lands Information
Network (ALIN) is pleased
to present to you the first is-
sue of KEA Africa (Kilimo
Endelevu Africa). KEA Africa is
nowtheEasternAfricaeditionof
LEISA (Low External Input
in Sustainable Agriculture)
journal. The Journal is aimed
at informing field workers,
researchers, farmers and pol-
icy makers about the latest
developments in small scale
sustainable agriculture sector.
It will offer readers across east-
ern Africa an opportunity to
share knowledge, information
and opinions.
KEA Africa is about inspiring
farmers to use local resources,
natural processes, and their
knowledge, culture and values
to improve productivity and in-
come in an ecologically sound
way. The Journal also seeks to
influence policy formulation
to support small scale farmers.
KEA Africa will be published
four times a year and its pri-
mary target areas will be
the Eastern Africa countries;
Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda,
Tanzania and South Sudan. We
wishtothankallALINmembers
who participated in selecting
a name for this journal and
all who sent their proposed
names.
James Nguo
Regional Director
ALIN
9 Kyenjojo farmer finds gold in fruit tree growing
14 It works to join hands, milk cooperatives in Northern
Ethiopia make a difference
19 Biogas, a promising source of renewable energy in East
Africa
22 Market access centres making the difference
24 Bees,trade - and success
30 Tube silage: a dry season forage for dairy animals
34 Two views; Do value chains help farmers out of poverty?
36 Resources
CONTENTS

4. 4
KEAAFRICA
Enhancing farmers’ entrepreneurship:
Creating conditions for growth
“I did something that challenged the banking world. Conventional banks look for the rich; we look
for the absolutely poor. All people are entrepreneurs, but many don’t have the opportunity to find
that out.” (Muhammad Yunus)
Entrepreneurship in relation to small-scale farming is
now a popular theme, giving the false impression that a
major transition is suddenly taking place: the small-scale
farmer-cultivator giving way to the farmer-entrepreneur;
the subsistence-oriented farmer entering the capitalist
or market economy. In reality, small-scale farmers have a
long history of having one foot in a subsistence economy
and the other in a market-oriented one. Many discussions
provide evidence that entrepreneurship, enterprises and
markets are closely linked concepts, which means there
is no entrepreneur without a market, and there are no
markets without entrepreneurs. The small-scale farmer is
intrinsically part of this equation.
What does rural entrepreneurship mean?
An entrepreneur is someone who builds an enterprise
or venture, and who produces for or serves the market.
The typical entrepreneur is depicted as a determined
and creative leader, constantly looking for opportunities
to improve and expand his or her business; somebody
By Arno Maatman and Ted Schrader
THEME OVERVIEW
who takes more or less calculated risks, and who assumes
responsibility for both profits and losses. Accordingly,
entrepreneurship and innovativeness go hand in hand,
particularly when entrepreneurs face strong competition
or operate in highly dynamic environments.
Changes in small scale farming
Not surprisingly, small-scale farming has undergone
enormous changes in recent decades. While some of
these changes have been driven by external factors, many
have also been inspired by farmers who continuously look
for better ways to organise their farm, for new crops and
cultivars, better animals, and alternative technologies to
diversify production, increase productivity or reduce risks.
Farmers have used a variety of ways to develop alternative
income earning opportunities. Such incomes might be
linked to agriculture (such as the marketing or processing
of agricultural products), but are also found outside the
direct realm of agriculture, for example production of
handicrafts, or seasonal migration. In this sense, farmers
are and have been entrepreneurial for quite some time.
Undoubtedly, small-scale farmers face challenges that are
unique, even if not totally new. In many countries, farmers
Photo:JosephatChangoleandNaomiMuchiri
‘Many discussions provide evidence that entrepreneurship, enterprises and markets are closely linked concepts, which means there is no
entrepreneur without a market, and there are no markets without entrepreneurs.’

5. 5
JULY2009
face the huge challenge of producing enough food, feed,
fibre and fuel in a context of rapidly rising urban and rural
non-farming populations; and at as low as possible prices,
as most of the domestic demand originates from very poor
people. They are simultaneously expected to ‘pull’ the
countryforwardasentrepreneurs.Yearsofprivatisationand
liberalisation policies, however, have yielded few positive
results. Explanations for these poor results differ between
scholars and across the globe. Some refer to the hugely
challenging conditions that prevail, in spite of favourable
macroeconomic policies. In 2002, the World Bank’s World
Development Report on ‘institutions for markets’, pointed
to failing property rights and weak market institutions in
general; other publications by researchers from various
institutions (for example Michigan State University and
the International Food Policy Research Institute) point at
the half-hearted or otherwise inadequate implementation
of adjustment policies as the major cause.
An interesting perspective is the one that looks at
transaction risks, and in particular at those that stem
from co-ordination problems between all those involved.
The central idea here is that market transactions need
co-ordination, whether this is formal or informal, while
confidenceisamajorfactorinanybusinessandinvestment
decision. The structural adjustment programmes, which
were widely implemented, failed to support the private
sector to develop new co-ordination procedures. As a
result,markettransactionsstilltypicallytakeplacethrough
hierarchical socio-familial networks, and are limited to
restricted areas i.e. close to the urban centres, and only for
thosecommoditiesforwhichprofitmarginsaresufficiently
high. Trade thus remains restricted to a happy few, and
only a small proportion of farmers are integrated in such
networks. A large majority remains locked in a system
of ad-hoc sales of relatively low volumes of produce on
marginal (spot) markets.
Markets and uncertainty
The recent sudden rise in food prices has shown that
commercialisation and trade take place within a very
uncertain environment, and many factors are involved,
such as import regulations, subsidies and trade
restrictions. But increased market participation does
offer many opportunities. Farmers may receive extra
income through higher volumes of sales, and may, as a
consequence, be better able to improve and diversify
their diets, to invest in education for themselves and their
children, and to re-invest in their farm and make it a more
productive enterprise. However, when prices decline or
returns to investments fall short, the consequences may
be catastrophic. In general, farmers face highly imperfect,
dynamic and diverse markets, and run enormous risks
to reach them. The relationships they establish with
sellers or service providers and buyers are multiple and
rapidly evolving; increased interaction with new and
more distant actors adds considerable risk. What can be
done, for instance, when suppliers or buyers do not live
up to their promises? How can farmers negotiate when
they have little access to information and unequal power
relationships? Suppliers and buyers often operate through
business cartels, and may disappear when opportunities
seem more profitable elsewhere. Some risks may also
stem from the interaction within the producer community
itself, e.g. through lack of accountability and/or excessive
rivalry between producers or between different producer
groups.
Access to credit facilities
Access to credit remains highly problematic, as financing
institutions still find it difficult to serve the agricultural
sector. Information provided through extension
and support services, including Non-governmental
Organisations (NGOs) mainly focuses on technologies,
and not on prices, contacts or possibilities.Though market
information systems are emerging in many developing
countries, many of these systems are difficult to access
and do not generate all the relevant information in time,
or at affordable cost. The impact of local networks and of
decision-making procedures including mechanisms of
reciprocity and redistribution of income and assets also
plays a role. Not surprisingly, small-scale farmers maintain
part of their farm for subsistence purposes, even when
they perceive a real prospect of increasing production
for the market. This often makes perfect sense even more
so if we consider wider aspects such as transport and
transaction costs.
Photo:TimWoodsandNoahLusaka
A banana farmer in Lukwanga (North of Kampala, Uganda) ferries his
produce to a nearby market

6. 6
KEAAFRICA
Fairer trade
Though we think that the major challenge for small-
scale farmers and farmer co-operatives in developing
countries lies in the expansion of trade within their
own country and region, the fair trade movement
needs mentioning here. Fair trade is serving a “niche”
of consumers in urban centres and higher-income
countries that are prepared to pay a premium price.
Fair trade is based upon the idea that conventional
trading relationships between small-scale farmers in
the South, and traders and processors in the North, are
unfair. This unfairness keeps farmers poor, while a lack
of assets also leads to unsustainable land use.
The fair trade movement is diverse, its volumes are
not insignificant but still rather small compared to
conventional trade in agricultural products, and is
linked to only a few small-scale farmers in the world.
The role of fair trade, however, goes beyond these
direct estimates of impact. It has helped many farmers
develop entrepreneurial skills. It has been, and still
is, an inspirational example for many more farmers
to engage in markets and to call for ‘fairer shares.’
In addition, fair trade is challenging conventional
traders and companies, which in turn has led to a
rapid increase of initiatives labelled as sustainable
trade, or ethical trade. There is tension, of course,
between the concept of a ‘fair’ price, and the way
markets and businesses normally work, but the idea
that entrepreneurship should be governed by norms
(ethics) and rules is increasingly accepted. Fair trade
is playing an important role in this process.
Arno Maatman and Ted Schrader. International Centre
for development oriented Research in Agriculture (ICRA),
P.O. Box 88, 6700 AB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
E-mails: arno.maatman@wur.nl ; ted.schrader@wur.nl
References
Dorward,A.,J.KyddandC.Poulton,1998(eds.).Smallholder
cash crop production under market liberalization: A new
institutional economic perspective. CAB International,
Wallingford, U.K.
Jayne, T. S., J. Govereh, A. Mwanaumo, J. Chapoto and J. K.
Nyoro, 2002. False promise or false premise? The experience
of food and input market reform in Eastern and Southern
Africa. World Development, 30(11).
Kherallah, M., C. Delgado, E. Gabre-Madhin, N. Minot
and M. Johnson, 2000. The road half-travelled: Agricultural
market reform in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Policy Report.
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI),
Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
In spite of the risks and difficulties, small-
scale farmers are increasingly linked to local,
national and international markets. Roughly,
three pathways of change may be distinguished:
1. Farmers whose income is (still) mainly based on
agricultural production, and who are increasingly
linked to the production and commercialisation
of one or more products (in what is known as
commodity supply chains) for domestic markets;
2. Farmers who are increasingly part of an export-
oriented process (often controlled by large multi-national
companies);
3. Farmers who diversify away from agriculture.
In the first two pathways, farmers may be driven to take up
new activities as well, like processing, marketing, etc. while
the third path refers to those who migrate, or who provide
other services. These three pathways are not necessarily
distinct.Farmfamiliesmaybeinvolvedindifferentprocesses
(orvaluechains),simultaneouslyservingthelocalandurban
markets, in both conventional and ‘fair trade’. However,
to some extent, entrepreneurship implies specialisation.
It is simply too difficult to travel three relatively
divergent pathways, and to maintain competitiveness.
There is a tendency in international co-operation to
prioritisetheintegrationoffarmersintoexportvaluechains,
connecting them to the international markets. Although
various publications have demonstrated the benefits of
these processes, it is important to consider that farmers
will need careful support in order to be ‘competitive’, and
that this support needs to be based on ‘real’ competitive
advantages. It is also worth remembering that there is a lot
of truth in the simple adage that you should be a national
champion first before becoming an international one.
Whatever the path to follow, an outstanding and difficult
to answer question is whether these pathways will lead to
more or to less sustainable land use. It might be argued,
for instance, that diversification away from agriculture
follows a vision of farming as a complementary activity, or
even as a survival strategy, and not as an activity to invest
in. Better links with the national or international markets,
combined with an urgent need to increase incomes in
the short run, may also encourage farmers to expand the
area under the targeted crop, without taking appropriate
measures to maintain sustainability. On the other hand,
increased incomes could prove to be the best guarantee
forsustainablelanduse,allowingfarmerstore-investinsoil
fertility, conserving natural resources, or the appropriate
use of technologies; and to diversify production for
local or domestic markets. It is compelling to argue that
an entrepreneurial attitude is a necessary condition for
sustainability, because it implies a highly efficient use of
scarce natural and human resources.

7. 7
JULY2009
Development of FBEs,
Forest-Based Enterprises in Uganda
In order to ensure sustainability of forests, economic benefits from the forests must provide
the motivation for private owners to conserve them. Further there is need to promote and
facilitate rural community members to establish Forest- based Enterprises (FBE’s) in a controlled
and systematic manner and on a wider scale. This has potential to reverse the rate of forest
degradation in Uganda and generate significant benefits to the rural community.
By Bugaari Ambrose
Rural entrepreneurship can be defined as the ability of
communities to turn ‘grass into gold.’ It is a behavioral
trait that requires an individual to be able to see and
exploit potential business opportunities in his or her
surroundings. Rural entrepreneurs are many and thriving
among rural communities in Uganda. Key among them
are entrepreneurs who have established forest-based
enterprises with an aim of generating income to improve
their livelihoods.
History of people and forests in Uganda
Entrepreneurship traits have existed among forest
communities for ages and forest-based enterprises are
not a new advancement, however their development has
been too slow. Forest related entrepreneurial activities
can be extractive (herbs and timber harvesting), or non-
extractive(ecotourismandbeekeeping).Specificexamples
of forest-based enterprises currently being run by rural
entrepreneurs in Uganda include: bee keeping (apiary),
growing of valuable forest trees for timber, fuel wood,
gums, raisins, medicinal plants, tree for use in crafts like
basket weaving, and construction, growing of fruit trees,
bee keeping, keeping of snakes, butterflies and birds for
touristic purposes.
Issues affecting forest users
Whereas people have depended on forests for a long
time it is a fact that most of them will strive to maintain
a forest only if they expect to benefit from the forest.
Unfortunately for many rural forest entrepreneurs,
their non-tangible contributions (ecological and
environmental) to environmental conservation is hardly
recognized and appreciated by the government and
other forest sector actors. As a result and due to the rising
poverty levels among the rural population, the rate of
forest degradation in Uganda has been increasing. This
Photo:ALIN
Examples of Forest-Based Enterprises (FBEs) currently being run by rural entrepreneurs in Uganda include: bee keeping (apiary), growing of valuable
forest trees for timber, fuel wood, gums, raisins, medicines, for use in crafts like basket weaving, and construction, fruit growing and eco-tourism.
opinion / analysis

8. 8
KEAAFRICA
has exposed the country to climate change, despite the
low capacity of such a developing country to mitigate
its adverse effects. Uganda forest cover reduced from
24% to 15% between 1990 and 2005, according to the
National Biomass study of 2008 by the National Forestry
Association. Yet the forestry sub-sector continues
to support a growing population now estimated at
31 million people, who mainly live in the rural areas.
Majority of the degradation is taking place in forests on
private land which has now reduced from 70% of total
forests in 1990 to 64% by 2007. With this current rate of
decrease in forest cover resulting in loss of 92,000 hectares
of forest annually, projections indicate that the forest
cover of Uganda will stand at less than 9.3% by the end
of 2009, which of course would present more challenges
for the forest-reliant population of Uganda. If this trend
continues without being addressed, the economy and the
livelihoods of many Ugandans will be seriously affected.
Role of Forest Based Enterprises (FBEs)
Inordertoensuresustainabilityofprivateforests;economic
benefits from the forests must provide the motivation for
private owners to conserve their forests. Fortunately, a
solution to degradation of forests exist. FBEs, if promoted,
facilitated and done on a controlled, systematic and on a
widespread scale, are viable and can generate significant
benefits to the community and have potential to reverse
the rate of forest degradation in Uganda. Therefore,
development of FBEs as incentives for conservation aim
at achieving a two-fold objective: to improve livelihoods
whileatthesametimepromotingconservation.Promotion
of FBEs as incentives for conservation is based on the
economic rationale that adding value to sustainable forest
enterprises and markets is a way of reducing or replacing
unsustainable utilization practices, and
improving economic welfare among forest
user communities. And indeed by their very
nature, FBEs enhance conservation through
greater involvement of communities. There
are currently a number of rural entrepreneurs
that are engaged in rural entrepreneurship
endeavours, especially in the fruit tree
enterprise. A number of organizations
in Uganda such as Environmental Alert,
CARE International in Uganda and private
sector companies such as Effective Skills
Development Consultants limited have come
up to support forest-based enterprises.
Challenges
Rural entrepreneurs are still grappling with
a number of challenges. These include
small and insecure markets due to low rural
incomes low purchasing power, seasonality,
Bugaari Ambrose, Enterprise Development Specialist
Effective Skills Development Consultants - Uganda
P.O.Box 25288 Kampala, Uganda Mobile: 256-075-2573900
ambrose_bugaari@yahoo.com
A community forest conservancy (butterfly and snake park) run by the KEEP Kakamega
forest and ICIPE. An example of non-extractive Forest Based Enterprise Photo:KEEP/ICIPE
poor access to markets and severe competition with
alternative products. There is also raw material shortages
often compounded by wasteful processing, inappropriate
technology in form of unsuitable equipment and tools,
lack of appropriate technical knowledge and lack of skills
to produce value added products. Further there is poor
flow of information on existing opportunities for forest
enterprise development, inadequate organization and
mobilization of communities engaged in the enterprises
andlackofaccesstoadequatefinancestomeetoperational
costs–especiallyattheinceptionofbusiness.Additionally,
although government policies and legislations such as the
Forestry Policy (2001) and the Tree Planting and Forestry
Act (2003) and the Forest Plan (2000) are supportive of
the establishment of forest- based enterprises, there are
limited incentives for rural entrepreneurs to invest in FBEs.
For FBEs to succeed, there is need for government to
provide incentives to rural entrepreneurs and for their
mainstreamingingovernmentprogrammessuchasDistrict
Forest Services (DFS) and National Agricultural Advisory
services (NAADS ). In addition, access, sustainability and
expansion of markets for forest products have to be
ensured. The government should give greater support
and guidance to communities already engaged in FBEs in
processing and value addition. People engaged in forest-
based income generating activities should be organized
into groups/associations in order to maximize benefits
through quality control and market development.

9. 9
JULY2009
Evening Twesige Charles lives
in Kisita village, Kakabara Sub-
county, Kyaka County, Kyenjojo
District in Uganda. He is a fruit
farmer engaged in growing of
oranges, mangoes and avocados.
Mr. Twesige is married with
two wives and is a father of 16
children. Says he, “It was in 2001
while listening to the radio (Voice
of Toro FM) that I heard that fruit
trees are a profitable venture. This
programmehelpedmetoappreciate
the value and profitability of
the orchard business and I was
inspired to take up the challenge.”
Mr. Twesige also credits his success
to the management of a road
construction company, ENERGO,
which was then constructing
the Mubende-Kyenjojo road.
The fruit farmer states,
“The management of ENERGO
Construction Company encouraged
and supported the communities
living near the road to grow fruits so
that they are able to benefit from the
road by selling fruits at the roadside.
Thiswasagreatencouragementtome.”
How he started the enterprise
Mr. Twesige sold his motorcycle which
he was using for the “Boda boda”
(bicycle /motorcycle taxi) business to
get some start-up capital. He started
with 200 fruit trees and bought
the initial seedlings from another
prominentfarmerbythenameofNyombi
in the neighbouring Mityana District.
However, realizing that the cost of
purchasing seedlings from Mityana
was high, he sought and acquired
nursery management and grafting
skills. Today he raises seedlings
locally in his backyard. Currently he
is delighted to have 300 mature fruit
trees from which he gets income to
feed and cloth his family and also pay
school fees for his children.
Income from fruit trees
With 300 trees on 3 acres of land, Mr.
Twesige earns 4,000,000 Ugandan
Shillings (1,360 Euros) on average
per season, which makes 8, 000, 000
Ugandan Shillings (2,720 Euros) per
year for the two seasons. For four
years now he has been reaping from
his efforts and has been able to
achieve a lot with this income.
Other benefits
Due to his fruit venture, he has
bought several pieces of land to
expand his orchard. He also bought
a new motorcycle to replace the
old one and this earns him extra
income. Mr. Twesige has also
bought a plot of land worth 800,000
Ugandan Shillings (2,720 Euros) at
Kyatega trading centre, started a
school on his land and pays school
fees for 4 orphans in addition to his
12 children.
Kyenjojo farmer finds gold in fruit tree growing
Photo:BugaariAmbrose
With 300 trees on 3 acres of land, Evening Twesige Charles makes 8, 000, 000 Ugandan Shillings (2,720 Euros) per
year from his fruit farm in Kisita village, Kyenjojo District in Uganda
The community has
benefited from his
fruitprojectbecauseit
acts as a ready source
of fruits, employment
to gardeners and as a
model enterprise for
others to learn from.
However he cites the
inadequate knowledge
on fruit tree diseases
and transport of
fruits to the market
as major challenges,
but does not hesitate
to mention that the
business is very good.
“One cannot fail to
get income to meet
daily needs.” He says,
and that he has been
able to support his big
family using money
from this enterprise.

10. 10
KEAAFRICA
For these women,
money does grow on (neem) trees
Once, the women of Muddana Guddi, a village in Raichur district, in the southern Indian state of
Karnataka, suffered from drought and poverty, forcing them to migrate to neighbouring states
for work. Now, they are earning their own livelihoods by running a business worth hundreds of
thousands of rupees. The women collect readily available neem tree seeds, to produce and sell
neem cake. They have been so successful that they received a national award from the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
By P.A. Chaya
During summer, when paid
agricultural work is scarce, the
women and children collect readily
available neem seeds and sell them
to a mediator (middleman) who
comes to their village. In a week, each
can collect around 100 kilogrammes
of seeds and earn 300 to 400 rupees
(approximately US$ 6 to US$ 8 at
current exchange rates).
Identifying promising local
initiatives
Farmers in Muddana Guddi have
traditionally used neem cake like any
other compost. Although it is called
cake, it is actually a powder that can
be added to and mixed with soil at
any time, including when ploughing.
When the crop is suffering a nutrition
deficiency, the farmer will add neem
cake to the soil.
Mr. Neju George, a social worker,
observed that many tonnes of neem
seeds were exported from Karnataka
to big businesses in Northern India,
to be processed into neem oil, which
is sold at high prices. He realised that
while seed collectors were receiving
minimal amounts, the middlemen
were earning thousands of rupees.
After extraction of the oil the leftover
cake is also sold, although it does
not have the qualities of a good
fertiliser or bio-pesticide. Knowing
that local farmers were losing out
to the middlemen and big business,
Mr. Neju felt that if neem cake could
be produced and sold locally, poor
women would be able to earn some
money. In collaboration with like-
minded friends, Mr. Neju started
an organisation named Jagruta
Mahila Sanghatane (JMS), which
means “women’s organisation with
awareness”. Under the JMS umbrella,
many women’s self help groups
were formed, with each working on
a specific income generating idea,
such as making terracotta jewellery
or herbal medicines. JMS operates
like a federation, providing training,
publicity, workshops and market
facilities for the women. “First we
tried to unite the women so that
they could organise themselves into
self help groups. Then we searched
for income generating activities.
Our main intention was to make the
best use of locally available natural
resources. At last we found neem,”
remembers Mr. Neju.The 14 member
self help group, Jhansi Rani Mahila
Sangha, was formed by women from
Muddana Guddi to produce neem
cake. Mr. Neju contacted the Indian
Institute of Science in Bangalore
to request for a small machine
for crushing the neem seeds. The
machine was available but at a cost
of 500 000 rupees (approximately
US$ 10 000), which for the women
who earn only 10 or 20 rupees per
day, was a formidable cost. The idea
of crushing the neem seeds with
the help of a tractor emerged. This
process started seven years ago and
continues today.
Making and using neem cake
After collection, the neem seeds
are spread out on dry ground. After
drying, the seeds are sorted to
remove any filth and other waste. A
tractor drives over the clean seeds
The women are hardworking, focused and have formed a strong and united group,
that has support of local organizations
Photo:P.AChaya

11. 11
JULY2009
until they are crushed. The women
filter the crushed material using a
locallydevelopedwirescreengadget.
After the first round of filtering, 75
percent of the material is useful while
the remaining seeds and product
are crushed again until they are fine
enough. The powder resulting from
crushing and filtering is called neem
cake. The women do not extract oil
from the seeds and this enhances
the quality of the cake since the
oil contains the active ingredients.
When products containing neem oil
are used in farming, they act as an
insecticide or a pest repellent, and
also provide nutrients. In contrast,
when seeds are crushed through the
industrial process, the neem oil is
extracted first, but the product is still
sold as neem cake. Farmers regard
the industrial product as poor in
quality.
Marketing the neem cake
locally
All the 14 members of the Jhansi
women’s self help group are involved
in gathering neem seeds. Seven
teams of two members each go out
to the surrounding villages, choosing
a temple compound or a school as a
meetingplace,wherethewomenand
children from each village will come
to sell their seeds. After gathering all
the seeds together, they take them
to Pothnal, a village where another
group has provided storage space.
One of the challenges faced during
the initial stages was an attempt by
middlementoexploitthewomenand
children. “When we went to collect
seeds, some mediators turned angry.
Some of them assaulted us. They
offered other villagers half a rupee
extraperkiloofseeds.Butthevillagers
are our friends and relatives; they
didn’t fall into the trap. Considering
this situation, we increased the
purchase price of seeds. The
mediators totally disappeared from
this trade,”recollects Ms Chinnamma
Vastrad, a group member.
During the first year of production in
1999, the group members struggled
to produce seven tonnes of neem
cake, but there were no buyers.
With the brand name of “Chiguru”,
Mr Neju used a simple approach to
advertise the neem cake. A three-
wheeler with a banner proclaiming:
“Don’t use chemical fertilizers. They
will devastate your land. To increase
fertility, use Chiguru neem cake”
went around the villages. Companies
manufacturing chemical fertiliser
did not take kindly to this message
and this created tension. After failing
to make any sales, Mr Neju and the
women decided to explore other
ways of convincing farmers to use
the neem cake. They gave about 50
kilogrammesofcaketomorethan100
farmers, to be repaid after harvest.
However, the farmers did not really
understand this method of raising
awareness. They used the neem cake
but none of them refunded the cost.
During this period, there was a lot
of publicity about organic farming,
and the then agriculture minister,
H.K. Patil, met with some farmers,
and realised the importance of
these ideas. This led the Karnataka
governmenttoimplementanorganic
farming policy to encourage farmers
to adopt sustainable agriculture. This
boosted the scope for marketing
organic fertilizer and bio-pesticides.
Sahaja Samrudha, Karnataka’s
leading organic farmers’ group, was
searching for huge quantities of bio-
pesticides and vermicompost. Mr
Neju contacted them and assured
them that he could provide whatever
quantity of neem cake was needed.
The cake was brought to Bangalore
anddistributedtofarmers.‘‘Itwasvery
useful for me. My crop was neither
attacked by pest nor disease,’’ says
Shivanapur Ramesh, a farmer from
Separating the waste, like all the other steps is a collective effort
Photo:P.AChaya

12. 12
KEAAFRICA
Devanahalli, Bangalore, who grows
mulberry and grapes. Worries about
marketing the cake disappeared;
now the cake is exported to other
places such as Hubli, Belgaum, Goa,
and Maharashtra. Year by year the
business is growing. Last year (2008)
the Jhansi women’s group had a
turnover of 400 000 rupees. This
year they reached 500 000 rupees by
producing 100 tonnes of cake.
Impacts and sustainability
Though it started on a small scale,
the impact of this project is clear.
Women who once used to migrate
in search of livelihood now remain
in the village, and perform many
tasks, including seed collection and
export. Ms Mariyamma Halli, a group
member with little formal education,
maintains all records of expenditures
and income. After all the cake is sold,
she distributes the profit to all the
members.“We used to go to big cities
to search for food. Now our problems
have disappeared. We earn money
here and are also saving some for the
future,” proudly says Ms Sushilamma
Huded, agroupmember. Intheinitial
stages, some of the villagers ridiculed
the women’s new profession. “My
husband objected, asking why we
were doing this work. But when
the burden of providing money
decreased, he began admiring me.
Now he encourages me to go ahead,”
says Ms Huligemma Paatel, another
proud group member.
The UNDP has been encouraging
rural women’s entrepreneurship.
Every year it recognises small
entrepreneurs and gives a national
award,knownas“PartnersinChange”.
In 2006, Ms Chinnamma, the Jhansi
Team Leader, won the award after
beating 690 entrepreneurs. She
received the award worth 200 000
rupees from the Indian Government’s
Minister for Commerce. In Muddana
Guddi,itisquitenaturalforfarmersto
grow many neem trees in the fields,
especiallyonbunds.Thereforethereis
scope for the initiative to grow. Neem
is a drought tolerant tree, which does
not suffer from pests and diseases,
and does not need inputs such as
water, pest control or fertilizer. Any
farmer with neem trees can earn an
incomeevenduringyearsofdrought.
Previously, farmers did not know that
neem seeds could provide a regular
income but now the situation has
changed. Farmers prefer to sell their
seeds to the women’s groups rather
than the industrial company or their
mediators. The farmers wish to help
women from their own village, while
also earning an income.
Building on successes
Three key factors contributed to
the women’s success – they were
keen to earn their own living, they
were hard working and innovative.
They have also formed a strong and
united group, with support from
local organisations and community
members. They did not let low
education levels hold them back,
but were keen to learn. The decision
of the Karnataka government to
support organic farming also came
at the right time for them, when their
product was ready but there was
little demand.
The Jhansi group, still composed
of the original 14 members, plans
to expand; their main priorities are
getting an adequate place to collect
andstoretheseed,andproducingthe
neem cake.To crush neem seeds they
require a machine. “Setting up a unit
forextractingandpackingneemoilis
part of our future plans,” explains Mr
Neju. Neemtreesplantedbyvillagers
decades ago are now giving financial
stability to women, and a family’s
livelihood often depends on these
women. Behind this achievement
is the humble neem tree, a natural
resource that has given life to several
villages.
Chaya, P. A. Volunteer, Sahaja
Samrudha Organic Farmers’ Association
of Karnataka.
c/o Hanumantha Rao Dore, Behind
Good Luck Hotel, Near Pappu
Advocates, S B Temple Road,
Gulbaarga - 585 103, Karnataka, India.
E- mail: chayaapk@gmail.com
All the 14 members of the Jhansi Women’s Self help Group are involved in gathering
neem seeds from villages, temples, and schools.
Photo:P.AChaya

13. 13
JULY2009
Apiculture (bee keeping) is widely practiced in the Arid and Semi-arid Areas (ASALs) of
Kenya as a source of honey, beeswax, for pollination of agricultural crops and environmental
conservation. However, lack of appropriate knowledge in increasing production, value addition
and marketing has hindered local communities from realizing the full potential of apiculture.
Fortunately, in recent years, concerted efforts by apiculture stakeholders in Baringo District in
the North Rift of Kenya has resulted in community capacity building on use of beeswax, hitherto
discarded as waste, to earn additional income.
By Naomi Muchiri and Josephat Changole
From waste beeswax
to candles and jelly
Sector overview
A 2008 joint strategy paper by
the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), the
Government of Kenya (GoK) and
the Bee Keepers Association
of Kenya, indicates that the
Kenyan apiculture sector is
under utilized, uncoordinated,
and lacks proper documentation
despite its potential to improve
income levels of families
especially in dryland areas.
A Kenya government sector
overview document released in
April 2009 projects annual honey
production at 100,000 metric
tones, which is 80% below the
country’s capacity while potential
productionofbeeswaxisestimated
to be 50,000 metric tones per year.
However, much of the beeswax
produced has been going to
waste due to lack of appropriate
awareness and skills on its use.
Traditional honey production
in Baringo district
Pastoralism is the main socio-
economic activity in Baringo
district but agro-pastoralism
is also practiced, mostly for
production of cereals through
the Perkerra irrigation scheme.
However, prolonged drought
has resulted in lack of forage and
water leading to the death of
many animals and perennial food
deficits. Bee keeping for honey
production has also traditionally
been practiced and demand for
honey and other apiary products
has gradually increased due to
population growth, urbanization
and the emergence of formal
markets. Lack of appropriate skills
and equipment has however
hindered utilisation of beeswax, a
by-product in honey production.
The Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute Centre-Perkerra (KARI-
Perkerra), through the Agricultural
Technology and Information
Response Initiative (ATIRI) project
has supported formally registered
groups to engage in modern
beekeeping with the aim of
reaping maximum benefits from
a multiplicity of hive products.
According to Josephat Changole
Mulindo,theATIRICoordinatorand
Deputy Centre Director at KARI-
Perkerra, the ATIRI programme
aims to empower farmer groups
to demand for technologies and
informationfromserviceproviders.
ATIRI has supported many groups
to achieve this objective, among
them the Kapkuikui Livestock
Improvement Self Help Project,
which is based in Baringo district,
approximately 302 kilometres
north-west of Nairobi. The most
notable innovations at Kapkuikui
include:
Making candles from beeswax using locally available materials like bottle tops, pipes and
cotton strings
Photo:JosephatChangole

14. 14
KEAAFRICA
The Kapkuikui project was
initiated in 2003 with the
aim of introducing improved
livestock production techniques,
but members expanded into
production of honey using
the traditional Log hive. A
few Kenya Top Bar Hives
(KTBH) were later introduced.
Like most community groups,
members of Kapkuikui
community were experiencing
various challenges including:
a) Lack of appropriate
information on beekeeping;
b)Lackofappropriatetechnology
to improve production of honey
The ‘Kapkuikuisuperloghive’
Through feedback into research,
the group has been able to assist
in the fabrication of the Kapkuikui
Super Log Hive that combines
the positive attributes of the
Langstroth beehive, the KTBH
and the traditional Log Hive into
a hive that is suitable for the dry
hot conditions that characterize
the district. The Kapkuikui Super
Log Hive produces better quality
honeythanthetraditionalloghive,
is more preferred by bees than the
Langstroth and KTBH and yields
more honey than the Langstroth.
Candle production from wax
Apart from skills development and
increased honey production, the
Kapkuikui group members have
benefited from the emergence
of formal markets for apiculture
products. Previously they would
extract honey and throw away
the honeycomb, as they did not
know its value. Through training
the members learnt how to
collect wax from the honeycombs
for processing of beeswax and
candle making. The four methods
of beeswax processing include:
squeezing method; immersion
method; solar wax melter method
and steam wax extraction method.
Kapkuikui group members have
adopted the squeezing method.
Using empty honeycombs
and locally available moulding
materials such as pipes, strings
and bottle tops, they are able
to develop high quality, energy
efficient and environmentally
friendly candles, bees’ jelly and
other decorative materials.
through value addition; and
c)Lackofmarketingskills.Thegroup
requested KARI-Perkerra through
the ATIRI programme to help
them acquire modern Langstroth
beehives, beekeeping management
gear,ahoneyextractorandimproved
knowledge on beekeeping, hive
products processing, packaging and
marketing.
From tradition to innovation
Currently Kapkuikui self help group
consists of 30 members – 16 women
and 14 men – who are involved in
harvesting honey and processing
candles and bee jelly as an
alternative source of livelihood for
livestock keepers. Interventions
aimed at improving production
have enabled Kapkuikui self
help group members to gradually
replace the traditional Log hive
with the Langstroth and the KTBH
and to participate in development
of the Kapkuikui Super Log Hive.
The group has also adapted
production of beeswax, bees’ jelly
and other bee products. Notable
among stakeholders who have
played a key role in this process
are KARI-Perkerra Centre, Baraka
Agricultural College, Honey Care
and the Ministry of Livestock
Development (MoLD).
Kapkuikui livestock improvement self help project
Previously community members extracted honey and threw away honeycombs, as they did
not know its value
Photo:P.AChaya

15. 15
JULY2009
wooden rod or stirrer; cooking oil
for greasing the pipe, suspension
wire bottle tops, heat resistant
pipe shaped containers or moulds
for holding and shaping the wax,
and a fine cotton straining bag for
sieving the wax.
Procedure
1. Rinse the honeycombs to
remove any dust and other loose
dirt. Put some water into the
cooking pot. Immerse the clean
combs in the water and boil while
stirring using a wooden stirrer to
givethewaxasmoothconsistency.
Remove the boiling wax and sieve
by squeezing the boiling matter
through the cotton straining bag
to separate the fine beeswax and
the residues. Put the fine beeswax
inside a clean pan and let it cool.
2. Grease the inside of the pipe
shapedmouldswithsoapywateror
cooking oil and then pass a cotton
stringinthemiddleofthepipe.The
cotton string will eventually act as
the candle wick. Use the bottle
tops to hold the cotton string into
place.Coverthebottomofthepipe
with the bottle top to prevent the
wax from flowing out when you fill
the mould. Knot the wick and stick
the bottom of the pipe into the
ground to steady it. Tie the top of
the wick to the suspension wire to
keep it in the middle of the mould.
3. Gently heat the fine beeswax by
immersing it inside a bigger pan
with heated water to indirectly
heat it until it melts, however, do
not boil it.
4. Pour a little molten wax into the
greased mould, allow it to cool and
then pour a little more. Repeat the
process of pouring and cooling
the wax until the mould is full.
Leave the candle to solidify before
untying the suspension wire and
removing the candle from the
mould. The size of the wick can
be varied according to the size of
the mould while plastic pipes of
different sizes and shapes can be
used to make different types and
sizes of decorative candles.
Impacts, challenges and
future plans
Annual production of honey in
Kapkuikui has increased from
as little as 0.3 tonnes in 2006
to 10 tonnes in 2008. The rural
community has benefited from
capacity building in proper
apiary management, good
honey harvesting and processing
practices. The group pioneered
in proper packaging of honey for
sale and has been instrumental in
honey bulking for sale on behalf of
members and non-members. This
has saved the beekeepers from
taking small amounts of honey to
Marigat town where middleman
previously exploited them.
Kapkuikui group members earn
monthly dividends from the sale of
honey and other apiary products.
Mr Francis Kimaru, a member of
the group, explains that he uses
The changing of gender roles
Beekeepingistraditionallydefined
as a man’s job in the community
and this is reflected in the type
of training and responsibilities
given to boys and girls as well
as apiculture tasks performed
by men and women. However,
this trend is slowly changing,
and both men and women are
now involved in extraction of
beeswax and candle making.
Beeswax is a secretion from
the wax glands of worker
bees produced during
the warm period of the day. Bees
usewaxtobuildcombcellsinwhich
the broods (baby bees) are reared,
and also the cells in which honey
and pollen are stored. The bees
consume between eight and 15
kilogrammes of honey to produce
one kilogramme of beeswax.
Advantages of Beeswax candles
Beeswax is ideal for making
candles since it has less smoke
compared to paraffin and gel
wax. Beeswax candles are also
economical to use since they burn
slower and have very little drip.
Beeswax is also commercially used
in manufacturing of cosmetics,
crayons and drawing pencils,
leather, polish and textile products
such as tie and dye and batiks.
Howtotransformhoneycombs
into beeswax candles
Ingredients: Honeycombs, soap,
water; cooking pots or heat
resistantcontainers,sourceofheat,

16. 16
KEAAFRICA
proceeds from apiculture to pay
school fees for his children and
to buy food for his family. Says Mr
Kimaru: “Before joining the group
I used to sell my honey by the
roadside in bottles but that did not
bring me much income; now from
the money I get each month I am
able to take my children to school
and feed my family. This is a good
income generating venture and I
would really encourage other bee
farmers to join up and form such
groups.”
The group members have
participated in shows and
exhibitions where they have won
several awards. In November 2008
thegroupwasawardedacertificate
for being the most outstanding
Community Based Organization
(CBO) during the Kenya
Agricultural Research Institute
(KARI) scientific conference. The
award included a cash prize of
20 000 Ksh (200Euros), which the
group members plan to use for
expanding their activities. The
group was also awarded for being
the most industrious self-help
livestock group during the World
Food Day celebrations in 2007.
They participated in the National
Environment Management
Authority (NEMA) organized
UN World Day to Combat
Desertification, and won ‘the Best
Industry Award.’ The group has
also been training other nearby
groups on bee keeping.
Currently Kapkuikui operates as
a self-help group but they hope
to register as a CBO with the
Department of Social Services.
One of the main challenges they
experience is lack of a factory to
process honey on a large scale,
and at the moment they sell their
crude honey to Baraka Agricultural
College.Someoftheavailablelocal
resources in favour of the group’s
future plans to establish a factory
for processing apiary products
include availability of piped
water, electricity and a tarmacked
road. However, their plans have
been hampered by lack of funds.
The members have submitted a
For more information on the project
please contact
Symon Chesang Chairman Kapkuikui
Self Help Group. P.O. Box 87 Marigat
Kenya. Tel. +254 724 848 816.
Josephat Changole Mulindo the
ATIRI Programme Coordinator
and Deputy Centre Director, KARI
Perkerra, P.O. Box 32 Marigat Kenya.
Tel +254 053 51259
eMail: kariper@kari.org
http://www.ke.undp.org/
exportofhoney&beeproducts.htm
funding proposal to a donor and
are awaiting feedback. Kapkuikui
group members can only sell their
apiary products locally since they
do not have a standardization
mark that would attest to the
authenticity of their products. The
members have already submitted
honey samples for testing by the
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KBS).
They thus hope to acquire the
KBS mark of standardization in the
near future.
Comment on the KEA Africa articles using SMS
Dear Reader
We are pleased to introduce to you a simple SMS and web integrated survey system for KEA Africa. We
have assigned each article a code as indicated below. Send your comments to SMS +254717032322
To comment on the articles you first need to sign in and indicate your name, gender, location, and
country. To register, go to your mobile phone message box and key in the following words; Reg leave
a space followed by a comma your name followed by a comma your eMail followed by a comma your
gender (M or F) followed by a comma your location space then your country
Article SMS Code
a. Enhancing farmers’ entrepreneurship K1
b. Forest Based Enterprises FBEs in Uganda K2
c. Kyenjojo farmer finds gold in fruit tree growing K3
d. For these women, money does grow on trees K4
e. From waste beeswax to candles and jelly K5
f. It works to join hands; Milk cooperatives
in Northern Ethiopia K6
g. Biogas: A promising source of renewable
energy in East Africa K7
Mag, KA,1,K2,1,2,1, Dear Editor the article on Forest Based Enterprises was .........
Article SMS Code
h. Market access centres making the difference K8
i. Bees, trade and success K9
j. Plenty of fruits, but also plenty of hurdles K10
k. Tube silage, a dry season forage K12
l. Two views; Do value chains help farmers out
of poverty? K13
Subs ,Polycarp Otieno,polycarp@alin.or.ke,M,Nairobi Kenya
Then send this to +254717032322. You will receive an SMS
confirming your registration and instructions on how to comment.
Your sample response

17. 17
JULY2009
It works to join hands,
Milk cooperatives in Northern Ethiopia make a difference
With more than 3.5 million animals, Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa. Milk production
is however very low and its per capita consumption is lower than the Africa or the world’s average, which
means the potential demand for milk is large. In order to increase milk production and marketing, Ethiopian
farmers need to tackle various challenges, especially the development of efficient marketing approaches. As
the following experience from the northern province of Tigray demonstrates, setting up co-operatives can be
an important step forward in this direction.
By Abraham Lemlem
More than 80 percent of the people in
Ethiopia’s northern province of Tigray
are subsistence farmers but the food
produced caters for only 40 percent of
the population’s needs. Grazing lands
are common property dominated by
free and uncontrolled grazing. Poor
management has resulted in loss of
most palatable species and invasion
of less palatable species. Many areas
have lost vegetative cover resulting in
sheetandgullyerosion,environmental
degradation, decreasing crop yields
and livestock numbers. In an effort to
increase milk yields, the Relief Society
of Tigray (REST) introduced Begeit
cattle to this region. Originally bred in
Ethiopia’s lowlands, Begeit cows are
known for being well adapted to local
conditions and for high milk yields.
Following introduction of Begeit
cattle, many farmers increased yields
up to eight litres of milk per day and
their own milk consumption increased
dramatically. However, the farmers
faced an unexpected problem - how
to sell excess milk for income.
Helping farmers work together
ManyofthefarmersworkingwithREST
achieved various benefits, especially
from production of milk and other
dairy products. However, meetings
with farmers, extension workers and
local authorities clearly indicated the
need for extra efforts to market the
products to enable the farmers earn a
steadymonetaryincomeandtospread
out the benefits of milk production
among the local community. A shared
idea was to form marketing groups
that would operate as “milk units”.
This called for small-scale farmers
success depended largely on the
development of marketing facilities
as well as the availability of small-scale
processing techniques. Farmers were
interested in producing and storing
high quality dairy products and aimed
to collectively solve their problems by
working together. This called for co-
ordination of knowledge, wealth and
capital. Operating as a large group was
also expected to improve the living
standards of individual members
by reducing production costs and
obtaining better prices. First, specific
rolesandresponsibilitieswereassigned
to all those involved, as follows:
Farmers: Committed farmers were
invited to join hands and to dedicate
the necessary time and energy to milk
production. Most co-operatives were
to organise themselves into groups
that would collect, sell the milk and
process it into different value added
products. It was expected that once
legally certified, all the groups would
become independent entities within a
community and be recognised as co-
operatives.
One of the objectives of forming the
cooperatives was to help farmers
commercialise their products, so
that they could earn more income.
It was also expected that the
nutritional status of the community
would improve through increased
availability of milk. The farmers hoped
to increase the efficiency of their milk
processing procedures, lessening their
losses. The idea was conceived as a
“dairy development scheme”, where
With more than 3.5 million animals, Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa.
Photo:ALIN

18. 18
KEAAFRICA
set up by farmers from one village or
from a single area and consisted of at
least 10 members. The cooperatives
were all set up as voluntary
organisations open to anyone
interested, with equal voting rights for
all members. Following Ethiopian law,
it was expected that dividends would
be paid in accordance to the number
of shares each member acquired, and
also in relation to their contribution.
Relief Society of Tigray (REST)
One of REST’s most important roles
was helping farmers to organise
the co-operatives. Strict procedures
were observed, such as filling
an application form for the local
authorities, registering all members,
opening a bank account, setting
objectives and describing in detail
all planned activities and expected
results. REST agreed to provide dairy
cows to the groups on credit, and to
provide forage seeds and animal feed
(such as molasses), as well as cans
and milking equipment. As part of its
regular programmes, REST would also
continue providing extension and
technical support.
The value of cooperatives
Besides the requirement that they
observeEthiopianlaw,oneofthemain
requisites for the cooperatives to be
officially recognised is the elaboration
of their own by-laws. By-laws are
internal norms, which regulate all
procedures and determine the roles
and responsibilities of all members.
Preparation of these by-laws was thus
essential and resulted in a specific and
detailed document which indicates
the co-operative’s objectives and
how agreements are reached and
decisions are taken. The by-laws also
stipulate the criteria for membership
and the expected duties, especially for
the internal management. A special
section of these regulations stipulate
howprofitswillbeallocated.Allmilkco-
operativesdeduct30percentofthenet
annual income to cover management
costs. The remaining profit is divided
among all members. Members of
various co-operatives set up in recent
years like to point out the many
services and benefits they are getting.
The commercialisation of dairy
products results in availability of
a considerable amount of money.
Specificservicesandbenefitsprovided
by the cooperatives include credit at
affordable rates, accessing animal feed
and payments for milk on a regular
basis.Assomemembersputit,“Itisasif
wearegettingasalary”.Altogether,the
cooperativeprovidesaveryfavourable
setting for farmers to develop their
own ideas, increase yields, process
their products, obtain higher incomes
and improve their living standards.
Within this framework, it is clear that
farmers’ entrepreneurship will help
solve problems.
Abeba Yebiyo is a 55-year-old woman living in the Degua Tembien district (or
woreda), in the centre of the Tigray region. For many years she tried to earn
a living and to sustain her family of eight under very difficult conditions.
In June 2004 she received a cow from Relief Society of Tigray (REST)
which later gave birth to one male and three female calves. Ms Yebiyo sold
the male calf to a neighbour, earning 600 birr (approximately US$ 55).
Now she has two heifers (one of which is pregnant), one lactating cow and
one female calf. The cows have added a completely new dimension to her
household. Previously the family was only growing sorghum and surviving
on a limited diet. Now the whole family cares for their animals and enjoy
the benefits. The cow yields an average of eight litres of milk per day for
10 months a year, which is more than the whole family can consume. Ms.
Yebiyo is now a member of the local milk co-operative, which she supplies
with milk and earns 5 birr per litre - adding up to a potential total of 12
000 birr per year (around US$ 1 000). Taking into account expenditures on
the animals’ feed and health, she and her family make a net gain of almost
700 dollars. They spend less money on fuel by using some of the cow dung
for fuel and also sell some of the dung to earn some extra cash.
Abeba Yebiyo’s story
For more information please
contact: Abraham Lemlem. Relief
Society of Tigray (REST), P.O.
Box 8078, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
E-mail:labraham356@yahoo.com

19. 19
JULY2009
Biogas,a promising
source of renewable energy in East Africa
Energy plays a significant role in the lives of small-scale farmers who need it for cooking, lighting,
warming and drying. In East Africa, fuel wood is the principal source of energy in many rural homes but it
is often in short supply. Only a small percentage of the region’s population has access to electricity, while
kerosene, which is mainly used for lighting in the rural areas, is expensive for resource-poor households.
There is urgent need to access alternative energy resources, especially renewable sources such as solar,
biogas, wind, water and geothermal. Biogas is a promising alternative source of household energy since it
is simple to generate, convenient to use, relatively cheap and easily accessible, especially in areas with a
large concentration of domestic animals.
The energy situation in East Africa
A large percentage of the rural population in East Africa
live in the rural areas, with 75 percent of Kenyans, 80
percent of Tanzanians and 90 percent of the Ugandan
population being small-scale farmers. The main farming
activities include production of cash crops, food crops,
fruits and vegetables, forages, livestock and tree growing.
In all three East African countries, there is limited access to
electricity, especially in the rural areas. Only 10 percent of
Kenyans have access to electricity and many rural families
spend at least a third of their income on kerosene for
lighting and diesel for milling grain. Kenyan women also
devote a huge amount of time collecting, processing and
using wood and dung for cooking. This is valuable time
that could be spent on child care, education or income
generation. Tanzania has one of the least developed
electricity networks in the world. Less than 10 percent of
the population has access to electricity, and in rural areas
only one out of every 100 people can turn on a light. In
some rural areas, access to electricity is less than two
percent. The Ugandan population is even worse off; only
abouteightpercentofUgandanhouseholdsuseelectricity
as the major source of lighting. Biogas can potentially
improve the above situation by enabling farm households
to access energy throughout the day and night thereby
enhancing the overall quality of farm families’ lives, since
they can access energy for cooking and also enjoy good
lighting conditions in the evenings.
Compiled by Sharon Mutiga

20. 20
KEAAFRICA
Biogas production process
Biogas is a gas mixture comprising of about 60 percent
methane and 40 percent carbon dioxide. It can be well-
established fuel for cooking and lighting in the East
African region. It is formed when organic materials,
such as dung or vegetable matter are broken down by
microbiological activity in the absence of air, at slightly
elevated temperatures, that are most effective between
30° - 40° centigrade or 50° - 60° centigrade. Biogas is
formed through a similar process as the one that occurs
naturally at the bottom of ponds and marshes and gives
rise to marsh gas or methane.
Animal excreta are the main raw material for production
of biogas but kitchen refuse, agricultural residues and
human excreta are also used sometimes. Inorganic dust
particles make up 20 percent of animal excreta; combining
a 1:1 ratio of water and the excreta reduces the percentage
of inorganic dust particles. Under normal circumstances
the microbial content of the biogas is maintained by
the addition of two percent of the expended slurry with
fresh dung, which is one percent calcium ammonium
nitrate. Where human excreta are used they form three
percent of the slurry. The addition of human excreta is
crucial as it increases the amount of biogas produced.
The promise of biogas
Biogas is a clean fuel that contributes to improved•
human health by reducing smoke and decreasing
the levels of indoor air pollution, a major cause of ill
health for the poor.
Where biogas is substituted for wood fuel, there•
are two major benefits: it helps to reduce pressure
on forests and is a time-saver for those who have to
collect wood – usually women and children.
If a biogas plant is linked to latrines in a sanitation•
programme, it offers a positive way of reducing
pathogens and converting the waste into safe
fertilizer.
Where biogas is linked with sales of the resultant•
fertilizer, it is an excellent source of additional
income.
Slurry which is a by-product in biogas production•
process is a good fertilizer that boosts crop yields
Biogas can be used to generate electricity, with the•
possibilities of improved communications such as
telephone, computer, radio and television for remote
communities.
Biogas offers increased access to alternative energy•
sources, which directly leads to poverty alleviation.
As a fuel produced locally, biogas is not so vulnerable•
to disruption as, for example, grid electricity or
imported bottled gas.
The biogas production system
A biogas production system consists of the following
features:
The substrate inlet• : This consists of a receptacle for
the raw/fresh organic waste and a pipe measuring
at least 10 centimetres in diameter leading to the
digester. The connection between the inlet pipe and
the digester must be airtight.
The digester• : This is the reservoir for organic wastes
in which the substrate is acted upon by anaerobic
microorganisms to produce biogas.
The gas storage/reservoir• : This may be simply an
empty but enclosed space above the slurry in the
digester, an inverted floating drum whose diameter
is just slightly smaller than that of the cylindrical
digester or an airtight polythene tube with an inlet-
outlet facility.
The gas burner:• It can be either a special lighting
lamp or a modified burner for cooking.
The exhaust outlet:• It consists of a pipe of similar size
to the inlet pipe connected to the digester at a slightly
lower level than the inlet pipe to facilitate outflow of
exhausted slurry.
Technical considerations for a biogas digester
The technical considerations for building a biogas
digester are very important and must be strictly observed.
Sufficient raw materials such as foodstuffs, animal dung
and other organic materials must be readily available on
a long-term basis throughout the year. This will help build
confidenceinbiogasasanalternativefuelbyensuringthat
the supply of gas is constant. The temperature within the
production system must be high enough for the digestion
process to work; any additional construction to create a
warm environment might make the system prohibitively
expensive. For fixed-dome type digesters, the quality of
the building materials must be high as the biogas is held
under pressure within the dome. Skills and know-how are
required for both construction and maintenance of biogas
plants. Many units built in the past have been abandoned
due to lack of servicing skills.
Social aspects of biogas production and use must be
consideredpriortoconstructionofthesystem.Forexample,
production is more likely to succeed if there is a market
for the fertilizer end product, and careful consideration
of the supply chain should be part of the planning stage
prior to introduction of biogas. Even if the set-up costs are
subsidized, those who will use the gas should have some

21. 21
JULY2009
financial stake in the construction, otherwise they may not
have a sufficient sense of ownership to maintain the plant.
Handling animal and human waste is a sensitive cultural
issue and the use of biogas may be unacceptable in some
communities.
The collection of animal dung may be problematic where
livestock are not confined but allowed to wander freely.
Promotion and dissemination of the benefits of biogas
will be necessary if it is to be accepted in the rural areas
where feedstock is available. The use of human waste for
biogas production appears to be more successful when
it is associated with an institution such as a school or a
hospital, rather than an individual home. The involvement
of Non-governmental Organizations in setting up biogas
technology is an appropriate and acceptable option in
some target communities, and can assist needy people
to access biogas as an alternative source of household
energy. The financial and political considerations include
government involvement in promoting and assisting in
dissemination of technologies. This can be a beneficial
as it provides clean energy and reduces problems
associated with waste management. In addition, private
sector investment will support long-term sustainability.
Set-up costs are relatively high and may only be affordable
to people with higher incomes; however, micro-credit can
helpreducethisproblem. Creditschemes,orwell-targeted
subsidies, will enable a larger number of people to access
biogas technologies and thus stimulate the market.
Lessons
As a renewable source of energy, biogas has the potential
to counteract many adverse health and environmental
impacts associated with exploitation of traditional
biomass energy in East African countries. The technology
is a cost-effective investment if plants are properly
constructed, effectively operated and well maintained.
With the rising cost of services such as electricity and
cooking gas, biogas is increasingly attractive as an
alternative and easily accessible source of energy. It has
great promise in reducing destruction of trees and can
spare many people the burden of gathering firewood
especially in the rural areas of East Africa.
Despite its promise, biogas technology is currently
under-exploited in East Africa and there is need for many
more people to embrace this technology. One of the key
advantages of biogas is that it can convert agricultural
residues and various waste materials into fuel, thereby
acting as an effective waste management system. It
also holds great promise as a relatively cheap source of
household energy that is renewable, simple to generate,
convenient to access and use.
Despite the challenges in establishing successful
biogas systems, there are many people in the East
Africa region who have managed to successfully
implement biogas technology. Ms Magdalene Muiruri,
who owns a dairy farm with 16 cows in Karen on the
outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, is one such example. She
has seven dairy cows and sells 180 litres of milk to
a local school and the surrounding community daily.
Two years ago, she decided to install a biogas unit
at the cost of Kenya shillings 23 400 (US$ 300) with
the aim of reducing the amount of time her workers
spent gathering firewood.
Ms Muiruri values her animals as an important source
of food and income. Prior to installation of the biogas
unit she had identified the negative aspect of the
smells and flies associated with manure, which have
now disappeared. The system has helped the farm
to reduce energy costs, limit its carbon footprint
and improve its business value, and she plans to
introduce other “green plans” in the future. The
digester produces gas for cooking and lighting the
milking parlour; it also heats water for cleaning the
cows’ udders during milking.
“I hope to supply green power to communities by
expanding the use of biogas digesters in this area. I
also plan to reduce my cooling costs and emissions
associated with refrigeration by developing
innovative dairy products,” says Ms. Muiruri.
“Consumers have the right to know that the dairy
industry not only contributes to their own health
and wellness, but is also committed to preserving
the health of the Earth,” she concludes.
Biogas production on a dairy
farm
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
ACP-EU Biogas From Cows. CTA, Postbus 380 6700 AJ
Wageningen, The Netherlands. Telephone: +31 (0) 317
467100;
Fax: +31 (0) 317 460067;
Telex: +44 30169 cta nl.
For more information please contact
Karanja, G. M. and Kiruiro, E. M., 2003. Biogas Production. KARI
Technical Note Series, No. 10, Kenya. Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute (KARI), P.O.BOX 57811- 00200, City Square, Nairobi,
Kenya. Tel. +254 (02) 4183301-20, Fax +254 (02)4183344
resource.centre@kari.org

22. 22
KEAAFRICA
Market access centres
making the difference
The Analanjirofo region in eastern Madagascar offers a unique and extremely wide range of
agricultural products. Local production of cloves, lychees, vegetables, rice and honey is a potential
source of wealth, which could become part of value chains in the rural region. Despite this
potential, resource poor farmers in the region have to cope with many problems, most important
of which are marketing their produce and finding permanent partnerships. Market Access Centres
(MACs) are being set up to address these problems for farmers, including bee-keepers.
By Benoît Thierry and Emeline Schneider
Analanjirofo region is paradoxically
characterized by high agricultural
potential and harsh living conditions
for farmers. The region is affected by
lack of infrastructure and technical
skills, and limited investment
hampering the professionalisation
of the various value chains. Most
growers have difficulty accessing
commercial inputs as they are too
expensive, and locally unavailable.
As a result the farmers use
traditional production techniques.
Productivity also varies with the
climate from one season to another,
giving farmers an uncertain
income. Lack of regional-level
storage facilities and post-harvest
processing infrastructure also means
that agricultural products cannot
be conserved, preventing farmers
and producers from responding
adequately to demand.
Since 2004, the Rural Income
Promotion Programme (RIPP)
has been implemented in the
eastern province of Toamasina. The
programme’s objective is to improve
poor farmers’ income in two regions
anditisFinancedbytheInternational
Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), the Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Fund
for International Development and
the Government of Madagascar.
The main programme activities
are supporting production among
farmers’ groups through the
development of ‘partnership poles’
for value chain management.
The poles bring together local
government authorities, producer
groups, exporters and microfinance
institutions.Sevenpolesarecurrently
providing services in the Analanjirofo
region, and three others are planned
for the Atsinanana region. Within
a pole, producers’ organisations
are grouped into agricultural co-
operatives, which have the task of
managing Market Access Centres.
Market Access Centres (MACs)
The aim of the MACs is to organise
collection systems, improve small
farmers’ negotiating strength,
improve the quality of their
produce and develop sustainable
partnerships with traders. Each
centre manages the marketing of
commodities produced by local
farmers, and negotiates with traders
on behalf of producers. The manager
in charge of each MAC is responsible
for receiving the farmers produce
and selling it, and also seeking out
the best market opportunities.
RIPP has availed an advisor for each
MAC to provide training for those in
charge of the centres.Training covers
various topics, for example simple
management, meeting of quality
standards for agricultural products
and the traceability of the products.
The MACs differ from one pole to
another as each pole has developed
its own strategies depending on
the potential and constraints of the
particular zone. Their main challenge
is to function effectively enough to
gain the confidence of producers
and traders.
Improving honey production
Malagasy honey used to be highly
prized in Europe, but lost its market
share because of the lack of a sanitary
surveillance system, so that exports
to the European Union stopped.
Bee keeper Indiamalaza Gastron from the village of Rantolava shows his modern hive,
producing honey to sell through a Market Access Centre in the Analanjirofo region
Photo:MarcellinLeon,PPRR/IFAD

23. 23
JULY2009
The programme has launched many
initiatives to improve the quality
of honey and thus relaunched the
honey sector on the external market.
As part of this effort, bee-keepers
in the Analanjirofo region have
been included in the MACs since
2004.Upgrading of bee-keeping
methods is the first improvement
in the honey value chain.
Traditionallyhouseholdshaveowned
between one and five hives which
are built into hollow tree trunks.
The traditional hives produce five
kilogrammes per hive per year and
these quantities do not generate
enough income. Mr Nosy, a bee-
keeper for more than 10 years,
explains the problems associated
with the traditional bee-keeping
system: “I have always worked with
traditional hives set up in hollow
tree trunks. You rub the inside with
citronella leaves and then put in
wax to attract swarms. Upkeep and
gathering are difficult, and after
extraction the honey has many
impurities.”
RIPP decided to provide the farmers
with 500 Langstroth-type hives
with movable frames and trained
them on the use and management
of the modern hives. The main
criteria for eligibility were the
motivation and organisation of
producer groups. One modern
hive can produce 10 kilograms
per collection, three times a year.
Besidesimprovementofbee-keeping
methods, introduction of modern
hives has addressed post-collection
treatment: the honey is extracted
by centrifugation, using a machine
with a rapidly rotating container to
separate liquids from solids. It is then
filtered and stored in plastic buckets
suitable for food storage.
MACs help farmers with
marketing
Each MAC is managed by a
cooperative that facilitates the
marketing of honey at national and
international markets. The MAC
collects honey and other products
from members of the co-operative
at a price slightly higher than the
market price and then finds the most
profitablepurchasers.Profitsaccruing
from sales are distributed among the
members and also help to develop
theCentre.Thememberfarmershave
adapted this partnership system and
new groups continue to be created.
Currently, nine MACs are successfully
marketing different products from
4000 farmer members.
For more information please contact
Benoît Thierry. Country Programme
Manager for Madagascar - Seychelles,
IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural
Development) 44 via Paolo di Dono,
00142 Rome, Italy E-mail: b.thierry@ifad.
org
Emeline Schneider. Bureau FIDA –
CAPFIDA, Bâtiment Annexe, Ministère
de l’Agriculture de Elevage et de la Pêche,
Anosy Antananarivo 101, Madagasacar
emyschneider@club-internet.fr
References:
See www.pprr.mg for more information
about the project and www.capfida.mg
forinformationaboutIFAD’sMadagascar
programme.
Providing financial services is a key element that can help farmers put their ideas into
practice: Ms Bohonte’s small chicken enterprise brought the necessary income for among
others building her family’s new home
Photo:ASUDEC
Send me
KEA Africa
Journal!
To subscribe to KEA Africa, just
fill in the enclosed form and send
to ALIN using the address given
on page 2
or send an SMS to
+254717032322 starting with
the words Subs space comma
KA comma your name comma
your eMail comma your gender
comma your postal address
dash area code comma loca-
tion space your country. You
will receive an SMS confirming
your subscription. Using the
eMail you provide we might
ask you for additional infor-
mation.
See sample message
Subs ,Polycarp Otieno,polycarp@
alin.or.ke, M, 30023-
00100,Nairobi Kenya

24. 24
KEAAFRICA
Bees,trade - and success
Honey has long been appreciated for its potential to achieve both conservation and development goals.
Its production is frequently promoted as a pro-poor income generation activity as it is accessible to many
members of a rural community, has low start up costs and requires little land or labour. But while apiculture
(bee-keeping) offers opportunities for many African beekeepers, the potential for achieving significant
livelihood benefits from selling honey is often not realised due to lack of access to markets and limited
transformation of apiculture products. These were the major issues considered by a small organisation in
Cameroon, leading to positive results.
By Verina Ingram
As in many other countries, the honey sector in Cameroon
has traditionally been a small-scale activity. However, in the
last decade a dynamic change has occurred in the sector,
largely due to a series of projects aimed at conserving
the country’s natural resources and developing income
generation activities. As a result of trainings provided to
local organisations and communities, a growing number
of apiculture groups have been formed and sale prices for
honeyareincreasing. Therearenowhundredsofbeekeepers,
particularly in the Western Cameroon Highlands, producing
more than 3000 tonnes of honey and 50 000 kilogrammes
of wax valued at three million euros. Recent years have seen
increasing volumes of wax and propolis exports to Europe,
organic certification of honey, establishment of a certificate
of origin system, and the approval of national legislation for
securingqualityhoneystandards.However,allthoseinvolved
feel that apiculture could play a far larger role in terms of
income generation, poverty alleviation, conservation and
sustainable use of the country’s natural resources.
Tackling the major bottlenecks
A few years ago, the Western Highlands Conservation
Higher quality gives producers a reason to argue for higher prices. Here
different products are displayed in a market stall in Younde
Photo:VerinaIngam
Network, a group of 22 NGOs concerned with
conservation, farming, agroforestry and sustainable
livelihoods, decided to work together with private
andpublicbodiesinordertotacklehoneymarketing.
A thorough market study was carried out with the
help of the Netherlands Development Organisation
(SNV) showing both the productive potential of the
Cameroonianapiculturalsector,andalsothepoverty
within which the producer communities live. One of
the major catalysts in the development of market
links has been the “Guide d’Espoir”, or “Guiding
Hope”, an organisation which groups together
most of those involved in this study. Although only
legally established in May 2007, its members have
more than 15 years of experience in promotion of
apiculture, the production of organic honey and
bee products, and their commercialisation in West
African and European markets.
Guiding Hope was created to strengthen the link
betweenthedisadvantagedproducersofhighvalue
apiculture products and the market; guiding them
with information and opportunities; facilitating
processes and providing support; and sharing
the risks and burdens of selling to a non-local
market. Their business strategy is to use socially
responsible, sustainable and profitable production,
transformation and trading in apicultural products,
as a catalyst for improving the quality of life of
the producer communities. It aims to become the
missing link in the commercial chain, bringing hope
to producers by engaging transparently with them.
It also aims to provide the rigour and quality control
required to get access to the international markets

25. 25
JULY2009
and return profits to the community. A small organisation,
Guiding Hope has six members who manage the business
(andformtheDirectiveCouncil),and22employees.Thereare
also occasional consultants and service providers. In 2008 it
had 10 bondholders, three of whom are also members, who
have invested money into the business. All working capital
has come from these bondholders and reinvested profits. In
September 2008, Guiding Hope won one of five global SEED
Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development
for its work to scale up social, environmental and economic
impacts. SEED is supporting Guiding Hope by providing
capacity building and technical advice. Whilst it is too early
to evaluate the impact of Guiding Hope, the SEED award has
helpedtorewritethebusinessplan,providedanincentiveto
formalise and audit accounts, and consolidate agreements
with partners and suppliers. It has also helped establish links
with potential buyers, produce public relations materials,
gain media attention, and prepare three proposals for
financing. Such support is necessary to provide credibility to
a small, young and unknown organisation. It also allows the
organisation to increase contacts in the international market
and obtain access to affordable capital.
The SEED award
The SEED Award is not a monetary prize, but a 12-month
package of support services tailored to recipients’ needs.
It is intended to strengthen and scale up activities of the
recipientorganisation.TheSEEDInitiativeisaglobalnetwork
for action on sustainable development partnerships,
founded by International Union for Conservation of
Nature, United Nations Environment Programme and
United Nations Development Programme, to deliver
concrete progress towards the internationally agreed goals
in the United Nation’s Millennium Declaration and the
World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002. SEED
focuses on locally driven, entrepreneurial partnerships
in developing countries. Its goal is to inspire, promote
and build capacity to support the innovative ways in
which groups work together to improve incomes and
strengthen livelihoods; tackle poverty and marginalisation;
manage and conserve natural resources and ecosystems.
Chains and partners
The importance of marketing convinced Guiding Hope to
follow a value chain approach, which can ensure sustainable
trade by providing sustainable profits to shareholders,
attractive rates for employees and fair prices for suppliers.
This approach is also expected to avoid any environmental
impact, and to have a “social multiplier effect” by allowing
the involvement of men, women and youths from all
socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The
group’s business model is based on the establishment of
collaborative relationships with a number of groups such as
PAELLA (Programme d’Appui aux Initiatives Locales à
L’Auto-Emploi), which provides technical assistance to
meet European standards and legislation, trains and
supports all producer communities. Guiding Hope has
introduced new wax production techniques, European
buyers, and is stimulating production of goods such as
soap, creams, and candles for local sale by the organisations.
If they are of sufficient quality, Guiding Hope proposes
to incorporate them into its honey trading network in
major cities in Cameroon and potentially, for export.
The group is currently negotiating a long term trading
partnership with Tropical Forest Products, a small honey
and wax importer and trader in the United Kingdom (UK).
The 755 beekeeping households who supply raw honey,
comb and propolis, and with whom Guiding Hope has
signed agreements, are poor rural farmers and beekeepers,
with an average annual income of approximately 400,000
FCFA (US$ 800). Beekeeping represents almost half of
their total income. Guiding Hope assists them to group
together, and provides training in both the technical
aspects of production and organisational aspects such as
quality control, administration and accounting.This support
is based on their specific needs – from creating clean
water sources to building community halls that double as
collection centres. This type of empowerment means they
can develop their own apiculture based activities, work
together in community development projects, and have
the negotiating power to sell their products at fair prices.
Trainings and demonstrations on product processing also
allow communities to add value by increasing the quality
of honey, and especially increasing the value of honey by-
products.
Value chains
The term “value chain” has been used for more than 20
years. It refers to the full range of activities needed to bring
a product or service from conception, through production
and delivery to final consumers (and ultimately disposal
after use). A value chain can be the way in which a firm
develops a competitive advantage and creates shareholder
value.Itcanalsodemonstratetheinterrelationanddynamics
between individual businesses. A narrow economic-based
definition of value chains involves identifying the series of
value-generating activities performed by an organisation.
A broader, systems approach looks at the complex range
of activities implemented by various actors, from primary
producers, harvesters, processors, traders, service providers
and upstream suppliers to downstream customers. This
is also known as a value system. Value chain analysis
encompasses issues such as organisation, co-ordination,
and power relationships between actors, linkages and
governance aspects. These issues can be analysed by
individual organisations, as well as between actors within
a chain. Drivers of value chain activities include economies
of scale, learning, capacity utilisation, linkages among
activities, the degree of vertical integration, timing of

26. 26
KEAAFRICA
market entry, geographic location and institutional factors
such as regulations, union activity, or taxes. The value chain
approach has been a very useful analytical tool for taking a
moreobjectivelookatanorganisation’spositioninamarket.
It allows for examining the consequences of empowering
one group (the producers) and identifying how to link
them to importers and consumers. It enables analysis of the
implications of who does what, at which stage in the chain,
and what this means for risks, capital needed and margins.
It can also help to identify with whom to form partnerships
in the chain. While Guiding Hope is equally interested in
working with farmers in the North Western Cameroon, a
zone of mountainous forests with a tradition of producing
high quality honey, most of its work is now carried out in
six villages around Ngaoundal, Djerem Division in the
province of Adamaoua. This is a transition zone between
the tropical south and the Sahel, and is the largest honey
production area in Cameroon. Adamaoua is home to at least
14 different ethnic groups. Although the Gbaya, one of the
mostnumerousgroups,traditionallycarriedoutbeekeeping,
other groups have observed its many advantages and are
increasingly taking it up. Most families combine beekeeping
with activities such as farming, cattle trading, fishing and
hunting, and it involves young and old, men and women,
with honey sales providing seasonal cash income. Bees are
also vital for agriculture, being one of the major pollinators
of the local staple crops and fruits such as mangoes and
avocados; they are also critical in pollinating forest trees.
Enabling entrepreneurship
Guiding Hope has developed a range of products for the
national market, including soap, candles and two types of
honey: “Savannah Miel Royal” and “White Mountain”. It has
also exported more than 100 tonnes of beeswax to Europe
and is preparing to export honey to Europe. In 2009, they
plan to send at least 50 tonnes, once the Honey Monitoring
ResidueScheme,submittedinFebruary2009totheEuropean
Union, is approved. As instigator of the Cameroonian Union
of Apiculture Exporters, Guiding Hope has collaborated with
the government in setting up this scheme. The group also
invested in setting up an organic system and in November
2008 they received the organic certification for honey, wax
andpropolisfromtheUK’sSoilAssociation.Theorganiclabel
increases the selling price by almost 50 percent, resulting
in higher incomes. Through “preferred supplier contracts”,
Guiding Hope is also aiming at establishing long term
agreements within the Fair Trade market. Similar attention
is being given to the need to upscale this approach and
benefit more villages. Guiding Hope plans to continue
working with the villages in Adamaoua, broadening out
to other villages once the full production capacity of the
first villages is reached. This assures quality control and
traceability, and makes better use of the limited resources
available for an integrated sustainable development and
business approach. This model will then be expanded to
the co-operatives in the North West, three of which have
already shown interest. While they have different needs
for organisational and business support, and they face
various environmental threats, their production potential
is high. The approval of the Honey Monitoring Residue
Scheme provides even more possibilities, as it sets a basic
frameworkandopensupthemarketforotherorganisations
to export to Europe. This will be expanded upon with the
development of national honey and apiculture standards,
helpingpromoteahighqualityproductamongconsumers
in Cameroon and abroad. This is a joint initiative started
with the National Beekeepers Federation, with which the
national government is getting even more involved. Only
a few years ago, it was unclear which government agency
was to be contacted, or which one should be involved.
Thanks to a series of meetings and discussions, the roles
and responsibilities within the Ministry of Livestock and
Fisheries are now clear.
While the benefits in terms of income generation are
obvious, Guiding Hope also believes that beekeeping can
lead to positive environmental and agricultural services
which contribute to sustainable trade, such as pollination,
forest regeneration and conservation, Consultations
with villagers showed that they are equally interested in
working with these interactions. Environmental education
has been made a priority in joint efforts with PAELLA
and various government agencies, such as the Ministries
of Livestock and Commerce and Small Enterprises. This
includessettingupcommunitynurseriesandreforestation
activities, and agreeing on community regeneration and
beekeepingzones.ThesupportoftheSEEDAwardwillhelp
Guiding Hope create more conditions that are favourable
for beekeepers and for the area’s general environmental
situation. This will have positive effects for agriculture
such as increased pollination and the possibility of making
compost from honey and wax waste. Farmers are seeking
to diversify and secure cash incomes through bee-product
processing.This has led to changes in apicultural practices,
with innovations such as new hive designs that facilitate
harvesting and resist animal attacks, and energy efficient
stoves. Communities are also designating unproductive
and degraded land for agroforestry, and growing species
that can provide hive materials, fuelwood and protect
water catchments.
Small-scale rural entrepreneurship in the apiculture
sector is already resulting in far-reaching institutional and
sectoral changes in Cameroon, especially in the province
of Adamaoua. It has the potential to result in incomes and
community development on a sustainable basis.
Verina Ingram. Scientist
Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR),
c/o IITA Humid Forest Ecoregional Centre,
B.P. 2008, Yaounde, Cameroon
E-mail: v.ingram@cgiar.org

27. 27
JULY2009
Plenty of fruits,
but also plenty of hurdles
Many types of fruits grow in the Uluguru mountains in Tanzania. And the sunshine needed to dry them is
plentiful and free. The combination of these facts could mean a good business for farmers. But it is not so
simple. Even the most entrepreneurial and dedicated of people will still have plenty of hurdles to overcome.
To sell a bag of dried mangoes, you need not only preservatives and packaging, but also quite a number of
official permits and certificates.
By Anders P. Pedersen
Farmers form networks and unions for better marketing
options. Many seek to improve their situation through
loans, access to meetings, projects and training. However,
results are limited. Many organisations seem to care more
about the benefits for their employees than for their
members. But some farmers are innovative and make
additional efforts to pursue new ways of making their
daily income. One such farmer is Mr Ramadhani Fufumbe
from Kinole District in Morogoro region. He has been an
individual member of MVIWATA, a farmers’ network, for
more than five years. Mr. Fufumbe,55 years old is from
the Uluguru tribe and speaks Uluguru and Swahili. He is
married to Rehema and Sinavyo. They have six children,
three of whom help on the farm. His wife Rehema works
mainly in the field while Sinavyo looks after the children
and prepares food for the family.
The Uluguru mountains
Mr. Fufumbe lives in Mfumbwe village in the Uluguru
mountains. It is a remote place with scattered huts, and
is difficult to access. Although chiefdoms were formally
abolished upon Independence in 1961, most people
in Tanzania still respect tribal chiefs. The Uluguru chief
resides in Kinole town, which gives the town a special
flavour amongTanzanians. Soils there are reddish or black,
each of which has different properties and crop suitability.
A good rainfall of 2000 mm per year at a modest altitude
of 400-500 metres in hilly terrain provides varying micro-
climates. Farmers grow a wide variety of crops. From rice,
chilli, pepper, coconut, maize, jackfruit, oranges, beans,
groundnuts, bananas to tomatoes. Most families do not
depend on hard cash; food is exchanged through barter
tradeandworkissharedinvariousways.Mostfarmersgrow
Fruits are cut and spread out on trays while fresh. They will be ready for packing in two to three days – if all goes well
Photo:AndersP.Pedersen