How beekeeping strengthens food security in Kenya’s drylands 

Across Kenya, communities are experiencing the growing impacts of climate change. Rainfall has become increasingly erratic, harvests are less reliable, and many rural families struggle to secure enough food throughout the year. In the semi-arid county of Kitui, these pressures are compounded by environmental degradation caused by illegal charcoal production, which has accelerated deforestation and reduced vital sources of forage for livestock and bees. 

To address these challenges, Dorcas Kenya works with local communities to build climate-resilient livelihoods, increase incomes and strengthen household food security. Through the Honey Value Chain Project, farmers are organised into Farmer Field Schools where they receive training on best production and harvesting methods, modern beehives, and support to connect with cooperatives, enabling them to sell their honey together at fair prices.

One of the farmers who embraced this opportunity is Justus Makau Mutua, whose story reflects the hope and transformation this project brings. 

Choosing a sustainable future

Justus (33) lives in Kitui County with his wife and their two children, a seven-year-old and a four-year-old. After graduating from the University of Nairobi with a degree in Commerce, he made the deliberate decision to return to his home village rather than seek employment in the city. He opened a small butcher’s shop at the local market and traded livestock, but the income was inconsistent and insufficient to support his family.

Meanwhile, life in Kitui was becoming increasingly difficult. Years of failing rains left many households facing food shortages. As trees disappeared due to charcoal production, pastureland and bee forage were depleted. When Dorcas Kenya launched the Honey Value Chain Project, Justus grasped the opportunity to build a more resilient livelihood.

Although beekeeping in his community was traditionally practised by older men, Justus decided to give it a try. In 2021, he cautiously began with ten modern hives, which were provided through the project. He soon saw results.

With training from Dorcas Kenya, he learned how to set up an apiary, attract and manage colonies, and safely harvest and process honey. Techniques such as cleaning hives with basil and applying beeswax increased his productivity. Dorcas Kenya also connected his group to cooperatives, enabling farmers to sell their honey collectively and secure fair prices.

Today, Justus manages 60 hives. He is the secretary of his local beekeeping group and encourages young people and women to take up the practice, challenging long-held stereotypes in the process.

Improved income and better food security 

This year, Justus harvested 235 kilograms of honey, earning him 63,450 Kenyan shillings (approximately €460). This income enables him to pay his children’s school fees, buy food for his family and reinvest in his butcher’s business. His success has also inspired those around him: his father, Mzee Mutua, has started keeping bees too, and now manages ten hives alongside his son.

For families like Justus’, beekeeping directly contributes to food security. Honey is a reliable product that can be harvested even in difficult seasons. Meanwhile, Dorcas Kenya is working with communities on landscape restoration and climate-smart practices to ensure that there is enough forage for the bees year-round.

Justus dreams of expanding to 200 hives and using the additional income to invest in rental housing. However, his motivation goes beyond personal growth. ‘I want to show other young people that beekeeping can offer a dignified and sustainable livelihood,’ he says.

Through the Honey Value Chain Project, Dorcas Kenya continues to support farmers like Justus in building resilience, restoring the environment and securing a more stable future for their families.

26 November 2025