A beekeeper receives a Kenya Top Bar (KTB) beehive, part of a distribution of 280 modern hives provided to local groups - Credit: GIZ

Beekeeping plays a vital role in strengthening rural livelihoods, offering communities a business opportunity to diversify income sources, reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture, and build resilience against economic and climate-related shocks.

However, despite its strong potential, sustainable beekeeping in Yei and Magwi Counties has been constrained by limited technical knowledge, inadequate access to modern beekeeping equipment, as well as limited market access and value addition opportunities.

GIZ South Sudan, through its Community Driven Rural Development (CDRD) project, supported 140 local beekeepers (105 men and 35 women) with 280 modern Kenya Top Bar beehives, beekeeping inputs and practical skills training.

From the 9th of March to the 1st of April, they participated in a three-day intensive training on modern beekeeping and hive management practices, equipping them with essential knowledge on colony management, pest control, honey harvesting, and post-harvest handling.

The Project is funded by German Development Cooperation, the European Union, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Honey processing Company Hagana Agro Processing from Juba implemented the training.

This private sector cooperation aims to enhance productivity, improve honey quality, and creates new market-oriented beekeeping enterprises across the two counties with direct market access, as the beekeepers could supply Hagana with honey.

In addition, the beekeepers will be coached in marketing and business planning over the coming months to establish economically viable businesses.

“With this training, and the beehives and equipment provided, we are now better positioned to transition from traditional to modern beekeeping in Labato Boma,” said Julius Lotare, Boma Chief of Labato, during his closing remarks. “I encourage all group members to remain committed and visionary so they can achieve long-term success from this initiative.”

Local beneficiaries expressed optimism about the intervention, highlighting its potential to improve household incomes and strengthen food security.

“Before this support, we relied on traditional hives with low yields. Now, we have the knowledge and tools to increase production and earn more income for our families,” said a beekeeper from Yei County.

The distribution of equipment and training by professional beekeepers of Hagana marks a key milestone in the implementation of community priorities identified under their Community Development Plans (CDPs).

It reflects a broader commitment to empowering rural communities with sustainable, income-generating opportunities. By promoting modern beekeeping practices, the CDRD project is contributing to environmental conservation, improved livelihoods, and inclusive economic growth in South Sudan.

The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation. In South Sudan, GIZ works on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The project Community-Driven Rural Development (CDRD) is co-funded by the European Union and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.