Beekeeping Transforms Forest Conservation in Kenya’s Rift Valley

In the heart of Kenya's Central Rift Valley, the Eburu Forest, part of the larger Mau Forest Complex, has long served as a lifeline for surrounding communities. But years of degradation had pushed this ecological gem to the brink. Now, thanks to an unexpected ally—bees—local farmers are breathing new life into the land and their livelihoods.

Eburu Forest, nestled along the slopes of the ancient volcanic Mount Ol Donyo Eburu, is one of Kenya’s most important “water towers”. It supports critical water catchments for Lakes Naivasha and Elementaita and harbours a wealth of biodiversity, including rare and endemic species of both flora and fauna. It also plays a vital role in regulating local climate and soil health. For generations, the forest has been a source of firewood, herbal medicine, pasture, and rainfall, underpinning both ecological and community well-being.

However, in recent decades, this once-thriving ecosystem faced severe degradation. Illegal logging, uncontrolled charcoal burning and unsustainable agricultural expansion chipped away at its cover. As forest trees fell, the surrounding soil began to erode, resulting in declining crop yields on farms that once supported families. Wildlife retreated and water sources dried up. The environmental crisis soon became a human crisis.

Magdalene Wanjiku, a long-time farmer in Ndabibi village, remembers the moment she knew something had to change.
“I used to farm maize and beans, but it reached a point where my land was no longer productive,” she says. “The rain was unreliable, the soil was tired, and what I was getting from my farm wasn’t viable.”

Everything began to change when a quiet but powerful intervention arrived—beekeeping.

“Now that we have bees, they walk in our farms and fruit trees, and we’re getting good yields again,” Wanjiku says. Bees, it turns out, are not just honey producers but essential pollinators. Their presence has helped restore crop productivity and revive the natural systems that had been in decline.

This ecological and economic turnaround is primarily thanks to the Hifadhi Farmers Cooperative, a local initiative launched in 2014 under the leadership of Francis Njogu Mbutu. Before then, conservation efforts in the area were uncoordinated. Despite the existence of a Community Forest Association formed in 2012, under Kenya’s Forest Conservation and Management Act, harmful activities persisted due to lack of incentives and community engagement.

“Our forest was so destroyed,” Mbutu recalls. “People were coming from as far as Kinangop to burn charcoal. There was no sense of ownership. Trees were just trees.”

From Hives to Hope

The Hifadhi Cooperative began with only 50 traditional log hives, distributed among a small group of farmers. Today, it manages over 700 modern beehives spread across the community. Through support from partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Forest and Farm Facility (FFF), the cooperative received training in modern apiculture, business development, cooperative governance and value addition.

This support turned beekeeping into a transformative livelihood.
“We were taught how to make oil and wax from bee products. I saw a business opportunity,” Wanjiku explains. She now produces and sells bee-based oil locally, priced between KSh 50 and KSh 150, depending on the size and packaging.

“With just five hives, I can earn over KSh100,000 a year,” she says. “Compare that to maize, where I’d maybe get KSh30,000 from an acre after months of hard work and unpredictable weather.”

Beekeeping requires little land, minimal water and low maintenance. Its appeal has spread rapidly, especially among smallholder farmers who had become disillusioned with traditional agriculture. More importantly, it has altered how people interact with the forest.

“Before, we were cutting down trees for quick profit. Now, we are protecting them because the bees need flowers and shade. We see the forest as a friend,” says Wanjiku.

A New Generation Leads the Way

Youth inclusion has also become a defining feature of the Hifadhi success story. According to Stephen Kamau, the cooperative’s accountant, Hifadhi now has 561 members, including 144 youth.

“We ensure youth make up at least 25 to 30 per cent of every training session,” Kamau says. “They are leading in marketing, in packaging design, in social media and even in developing AI-powered digital campaigns to attract buyers.”

This infusion of digital thinking has enabled the cooperative to reach a wider market. In 2024 alone, Hifadhi harvested 2.3 tonnes of honey, generating gross revenues of about KSh1.9 million. After retaining 30 per cent for operations and community reinvestment, the rest was distributed directly to members.

From failing farms to flourishing forests, the story of Ndabibi is a powerful example of how grassroots innovation can drive environmental and economic resilience. By working with nature rather than against it, communities have rediscovered prosperity and a sense of purpose.

This local solution supports Kenya’s progress under the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

As Wanjiku reflects, watching her bees move from flower to flower, “They gave us more than honey. They gave us hope. Now we know that when you care for nature, it will care for you.”