Lodwar, May 21, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Bee farmers in Turkana Central, Turkana South and Loima have received a major boost following a strategic collaboration between the County Government and the International Trade Centre (ITC) to support the development of the Turkana County Apiculture Value Chain Strategy.
Speaking during the validation meeting in Lodwar, the Chief Officer for Livestock Development and Fisheries, Peter Ikaru, said the apiculture sub-sector is gaining momentum in the county, with more farmers showing interest in beekeeping as a viable source of income.
“With high production areas in Turkana West/Lokichoggio, Turkana South (Aroo) and Loima/Lokiriama, producing 80,881 kilograms of honey annually and benefiting over 5,200 households, the sub-sector is proving that it can scale into a full-blown alternative livelihood for pastoralists,” Ikaru stated.
“Safeguarding bees helps protect biodiversity and boosts crop production globally,” he added.
On the value chain strategy, the Chief Officer said it will go a long way in improving the county’s economy and directly benefit beekeepers’ households, artisans, traders and other value chain actors.
He called on partners to ensure beekeeping value chain development expands to other low-potential sub-counties.
Chief Ikaru further noted that expanding the sub-sector across all wards will help attract increased budget allocation for apiculture.
Supported by ITC with funding from KOICA, the one-day meeting aimed to focus on paradigm shift from subsistence to commercial agriculture through modernization of on-farm production and input markets; value addition along value chains and creation of meaningful jobs that target the community.
Josephine Emase, the Deputy Director in charge of Apiculture, said Turkana’s hosting of World Bee Day last year placed the county among the first 10 counties with a well-established apiculture sector.
“Our broad investment focus in apiculture is to increase production and productivity of beehives to meet the supply gap of 938,793 kilograms of unmet demand against the current supply of 80,881 kilograms, with Turkana’s annual demand estimated at 1,019,674 kilograms. This is a demand-driven investment opportunity with access to regional markets in Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania,” Emase said.
The International Trades Centre representatives Julius Lokaale and Rao Pothuri said, “ITC is committed to ensuring “Turkana is a place to Bee,” through championing development of Turkana County Beekeeping Strategy together with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock and coordination with other stakeholders in the honey value chain.”
One of the stakeholders, Halington Kakimon, representing World Vision Kenya (WVK), said that once complete, the strategy will help strengthen coordination and cohesion among sector players.
Kakimon said WVK is currently working with groups in Nalapatui and Kesekiriet in Kakuma. He added that the organization is collaborating with the government and partners to promote beekeeping as one of the productive livelihood options in Turkana.
Marychris Okumu from ADRA noted that it is high time the county developed a beekeeping value chain strategy to strengthen stakeholder coordination, improve resource management, enhance livelihoods and build farmers’ capacity.
Directors Erenius Nakadio and Richard Lokoyan lauded the development of the strategy, describing it as a move in the right direction.
Stakeholders present included representatives from WFP, KOICA, GIZ, ADRA, WVK, WHH, TUPADO and PEA Kenya.
