RUKUNGIRI– A total of 53 honey harvesting gears have been distributed to 20 apiary farmers in Rukungiri District by the Rukungiri district production department to boost the quality of honey harvested so as to hit market country wide.
The harvesting gears included 20 smokers, 8 air tight buckets and 25 bee suites.
On Friday, August 9, the district councilor representing Nyarushanje sub-county, Fidel Begumisa, who also doubles as the Rukungiri district secretary for production while handing over the harvesting gears at the district headquarters, asked farmers to always value the little resources provided through government programs and transform their lives for development than criticizing the government.
“These gears seem to be little but when you effectively use them, government will continue supporting you till we reach a level where our production capacity is one of the best across the country” Begumisa advised.
Zepher Karyeija, the Rukungiri district Production officer implored apiary farmers to form and keep themselves in associations for collective bargaining and marketing of their products so as to set standard prices for honey on market.
“You need to form associations and have one voice in bargaining for higher prices of your produce. This will give you a strong bargaining power and benefits from your sweat” Mr Karyeija advised.
Meanwhile, Lillian Kukunda Twine, the Rukungiri District Etymologists noted that the harvesting gears shall improve both the quality and quantity of honey harvested so as to compete on market in spite the gears being less in number compared to apiary farmers in the District.
Ms Kukunda added that Rukungiri as a district produces a minimum of 5 tons of honey which she said they need to boost this production to a more volume.
Joy Kayambo an apiary farmer from Mabindi cell in Bikongozo parish, Nyakishenyi sub-county in Rukungiri district appreciated the government for assisting farmers on different projects saying it has helped her in fighting house hold poverty.
“Am thankful to the government for thinking about us as bee keepers because we have been ignored for a long time “Ms Kayambo noted”.
