Lenson Simumba introduces Nature-based Beekeeping in Malawi

Lenson Simumba in Monmouth last year.

In the place where I grew up in the remotest area of Malawi, we practised honey hunting as there were bee nests everywhere. In 2000, I joined the Small Beekeepers Development and Research Association and since I had been familiar with bees already, I was happy to receive a basic beekeeping training in 2002.

Bees are natural, forests are natural, and people are natural as well, but they all depend on each other. Beekeeping is a powerful income generating activity that has changed people’s lives in many ways. Beekeepers enjoy the income from honey and beeswax sales, and honey is food and magic medicine. People in Malawi make an independent income from beekeeping, which is spent on school fees, building houses, buying cars, and motorcycles. Honey and wax money are also used to pay for bride prices in Malawi. Beekeepers are self-employed, and yet they offer employment to others. Forests are well preserved for bee forage – beekeepers are foresters and forest guards. Preservation of natural forests is a beekeeper’s number one priority.

From left to right: Mzuzu University Forestry Department Head Mr. Francis Kamangadazi, Professor Jaret Mhango (recently retired), Edwin Hara, who has replaced Professor Mhango, Lenson Simumba.

Top-bar hives, getting ready for the training apiary at Mizuzu University.

The Mzuzu University has introduced a new beekeeping programme for the Forestry students. The programme focuses on developing beekeeping skills in Malawi. I will be teaching the second year students practical beekeeping. Both top bar and fixed comb hives are ready to be transported and hang them up in the training apiary site for Mzuzu University.

In Malawi, beekeeping has become one of the growing opportunities for people to change their lives. It is an opportunity for poor people living in rural communities to be supported by producing honey and beeswax for export markets. It doesn’t cost much if introduced as a natural based beekeeping. Fixed comb hives produce a reasonable amount of honey as top bar hives are expensive for local farmers. Honey from Malawi is one of the best honeys in the world because foraging areas are free from pesticides, and plentiful natural forests produce excellent quality of honey.

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