Kayuki: The passionate beekeeper

JUST AT THE AGE OF EIGHT, while still a primary school pupil, Vincent Hakizimana aka Kayuki started installing beehives in what turned out to be his life-long passion and sole income earner.As he grew up, his interest in beekeeping increased and at about 18, he had already installed 40 traditional hives.His love and passion for beekeeping has earned him the name Kayuki, literally meaning the Little Bee, which name he is proud of. “I love bees, their way of life, communication and bonding,” Kayuki says.When asked how he communicates with the bees, Kayuki says: “Whenever the bees are in danger or have produced honey, they come and surround you and you will know something is happening.” When his father, who is now 73, introduced him to beekeeping, Kayuki, then a primary school pupil, immediately picked interest in the field and has never turned back.Now 31 years down the road, Kayuki remains a dedicated and celebrated beekeeper in the Southern Province.He, however, insists practicing beekeeping requires devotion, passion, determination, and hard work.Sole source of incomeKayuki graduated from the then National University of Rwanda (NUR) in 2005 with a diploma in clinical psychology.With such training, many thought his interest in beekeeping was coming to an end. They expected him to look for a white collar job but he never took that direction and continued with beekeeping.Today, Kayuki has over 73 beehives, mainly modern hives. Each hive gives him between 45 and 60 kilogrammes of honey annually. He plans to raise the number to 250 beehives, with hope that this will also boost his income.“Although I graduated from a recognised university, the idea of looking for a job has never crossed my mind,” Kayuki says, as he stands inbetween the field where some of his beehives are installed.“From the beginning, I knew this field would sustain me and I have never regretted having chosen it,” he says.The 39-year-old beekeeper attributes his success to bees. “Bee farming funded my education from primary to university and continues to sustain me and my family,” Kayuki says.He has also bought land and built a family house in Tumba Sector, one of the strategic and most coveted areas on the outskirts of Huye town. Kayuki also has dozens of rentals which are rented by university students.Sharing skillsKayuki has for years been at the helm of a campaign to encourage people, especially the youth, to venture into beekeeping.“This is a highly lucrative venture. You cannot fail to provide for yourself, educate your children or pay medical bills,” Kayuki says.As a trainer, Kayuki initiated several individuals into the field and assisted them to become well-established bee farmers, thus contributing to the development of the field.In 2006, for instance, he helped found Ubwiza bwa Nyungwe, a cooperative that brings together over 1,370 beekeepers. The cooperative, which comprises over 13 associations, is credited to have contributed to stopping encroachment in and around Nyungwe National Park.Kayuki remains a member of the cooperative though he owns personal beehives in Huye District.“When we started the cooperative, we wanted to improve on our production, revenue and limit illegal honey harvesting inside the Park which has been achieved,” Kayuki says.Ever since members joined the cooperative, their efforts moved from traditional to modern beekeeping.“A kilogramme of processed honey has since increased from Rwf2,000 to Rwf4,000, which has improved the lives of the farmers,” Kayuki says.In addition, the cooperative is also involved in the production of candles from honey waste which was in the past dumped. A candle costs between Rwf1, 000 and Rwf10,000 per unit“Coming together added value to our work,” he notes as he advises other farmers to emulate that gesture.Future plansBut Kayuki’s career is not a bed of roses. He says the most common challenges include natural disasters like heavy rains and heavy winds which at times uproot trees that fall over his beehives, hence resulting in loss of production and bees.He also mentions some insects, ants and birds which eat milk and kill bees as other challenges facing the field.Kayuki, however, says these challenges will not deter him from investing in beekeeping and extending his activities.Currently, Kayuki is planning to set up a resource centre, to be named Huye Apiculture Training and Resource Centre (HATRC).The centre will strive for sustainable livelihood and poverty alleviation of beekeepers through increased income from apiculture, Kayuki says.“Through the centre, we will encourage beekeepers to embrace modern apiculture practices and provide hands-on and update information to anyone interested in the field,” he says.However, Kayuki, who has already developed a concept note for the project, says he lacks funds to implement his project and is appealing for support from the government and well wishers.He also urges the government to give special support to the field of beekeeping, noting that it would lift hundreds out of poverty.“As there are efforts to encourage citizens to engage in animal husbandry, especially through the One Cow per Poor Family (Girinka) programme, I wish there could also be a special programme encouraging beekeeping. I believe it would contribute a lot to improving people’s welfare,”Hakizimana says.