Restoring forest landscapes through beekeeping

Hifadhi Farmers Cooperative Society was established in 2014 by 61 farmers committed to restoring and conserving Eburu Forest in Nakuru county in Kenya. Covering approximately 8,715 hectares, Eburu Forest is an important indigenous ecosystem that has experienced increasing pressure from encroachment, agricultural expansion, uncontrolled fires and land degradation.

Recognising conservation would only succeed if local communities benefited directly, Hifadhi adopted a model that links forest restoration with beekeeping enterprises. By creating economic incentives for conservation, the cooperative has enabled communities to protect the forest while improving household incomes.

Forest and Farm Facility activities

In 2024, the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) partnered with Hifadhi Farmers Cooperative Society to strengthen its climate-resilience and sustainable enterprise initiatives. FFF provided technical and financial support for training in climate adaptation, honey value addition, cooperative development and the inclusion of women and youth.

These interventions improved members’ skills in beekeeping, honey processing, marketing and business management, while strengthening cooperative governance and participation.

FFF also supported members to explore new market opportunities and adopt value-addition practices that increase returns from honey production. Youth participation expanded through digital marketing initiatives, while women took on more active roles in production and enterprise development.

The support reinforced the cooperative’s long-standing approach of combining livelihoods improvement with forest conservation.

Significance of impact

Hifadhi’s model has generated significant environmental and economic outcomes. Membership increased from 61 founding members to 426 members, while the number of beehives expanded from 247 to approximately 1,300, strategically placed along the forest boundary. The presence of beehives has discouraged destructive activities such as uncontrolled burning, as farmers increasingly recognise that protecting the forest is essential to safeguarding their livelihoods.

The environmental benefits have been equally significant. Bees play a critical role as pollinators, supporting natural regeneration of indigenous vegetation, enhancing biodiversity and improving ecosystem health. Cooperative members have also contributed directly to restoration efforts by planting approximately 2,000 trees and protecting regenerating forest areas.

At the same time, beekeeping has become a reliable source of climate-resilient income. Colonised hives produce honey that is processed and sold locally, generating annual revenues of 1.5-1.8 million Kenyan shillings. These earnings provide households with an alternative income source while reducing dependence on activities that contribute to forest degradation.

Conclusion

FFF support has enabled Hifadhi Farmers Cooperative Society to strengthen a community-led model that combines forest restoration, biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood development. Through improved beekeeping practices, honey value addition and the greater participation of women and young people, the cooperative has transformed local communities into active custodians of Eburu Forest.

The experience demonstrates that forest conservation and livelihoods improvements can go hand in hand, providing a practical model for scaling climate action across Kenya’s forest landscapes.

Restoring forest landscapes through beekeeping

Forest and Farm Facility activities

Significance of impact

Conclusion

Further reading