By Mary Makhiringa

Balaka, June 11, Mana: There was jubilation in the area of Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Makwinja in Balaka, Tuesday when the Transforming Landscape and Livelihoods Project (TLLP) donated various bee keeping materials to Nkasi cooperative worth K15 Million.

Speaking during the function, Director of Forestry for Balaka, Titus Zulu, said bee keeping has a number of importance that the world may not appreciate, as it centres at conserving the sustainable management of trees within the dry land area in which Balaka also falls.

Said Zulu: “Instead of extracting the trees into charcoal or other products, we want to go in non-extractive way of getting income to support their homes, in which apiculture or bee keeping fits in very well.

“They will get extra income from live trees because once they are cut; the future generation won’t be able to get the benefit from the same trees.”

He added: “Bee keeping contributes to the forest conservation by providing non extractive income opportunity. It also enhances bio diversity through the pollination that the bees enhance, and lastly it provides income to the families.”

Zulu therefore, called upon the cooperative to utilize the received materials, as they will help in uplifting their lives.

Chairperson for Nkasi Beekeeping Cooperative, Umali Jiya, was all smiles and said as a group, they have been longing for better materials, which on their own they could not afford.

“We only have seven beehives, and could realise just K200, 000. We added 12 more, which we are yet to start harvesting. With the additional 40 that the project has donated, we are optimistic that we will go up to K5 to K6 million which is a greater boost to our business.

“Right now, we are working towards having a group warehouse in which we would like to keep our materials and other things. We already have the land, and soon we will be moulding bricks,” he said.

STA Makwinja hailed the project for considering his area and pledged for a continued support to the cooperative so that they excel in their business.

“As a leader here, I will fail if these materials do not bear positive results to the lives of the people in the cooperative. I will work hand in hand with the cooperative, and give guidance so that the business continues to excel.

“As an exemplary leader, I also have my two beehives within my forest that surrounds my home and am able to harvest honey for my home use,” he said.

Nkasi Cooperative has a membership of 46 people and started in 2014.

Some of the donated materials included 40 beehives, eight bee suites, five smokers, seven honey sieve and pressers and one settling tank packaging bottles.