The Woman Farmer Foundation (WFF), a non-profit organization that empowers women and youth through sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture, recently supported 20 beekeepers who form part of the cooperative; Libhaca Labomake, with beekeeping equipment worth over E80,000.
The project is aimed at improving rural livelihoods, food security, and income and strengthening environmental protection through the honey value chain. It will contribute to the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of eSwatini; the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and also acknowledges the importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
The equipment delivered includes Langstroth beehives, trap boxes, queen excluders, hive tools, bee brushes, and smokers. These tools will help the beekeepers to increase their honey production and quality, as well as to protect themselves and their bees from predators and diseases.
According to the WFF Communications Officer, Mpumalanga Zwane, the initiative is also aimed at reviving an apiary site that the Foundation has identified in collaboration with the beekeepers.
Fruit trees will be planted on the site not just to support beekeeping, but also to act as a food source and an income-generating activity. The cooperative members were given time to ask questions and inspect the equipment before receiving it. WFF Officer, Sanele Mtsetfwa trained the beekeepers on the proper use of the equipment and conducted demonstrations.
WFF is a leading organization in promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development in Eswatini. It has been supporting women farmers with various interventions such as training, mentorship, market linkages, and access to inputs and equipment. WFF believes that beekeeping is a viable income-generating activity that can complement crop and livestock farming, as well as contribute to environmental conservation