By GASTONE VALUSI
In the dry plains of Ndithini Sub-County, recently carved out of the larger Masinga region, where prolonged drought has long defined daily life, a sweet revolution is quietly taking root.
The Ndithini Community Development Association (NCDA) has launched a honey-processing unit, turning resilience into opportunity and hope into harvest.
With more than 7,000 members in a constituency of about 48,000 people, NCDA lives by its motto: “People empowering people.” Beyond its agriculture and credit-finance programmes, the honey project is proving to be a game-changer for households battered by climate shocks.
NCDA chairperson Martin Muoka says the biggest challenges remain water scarcity and poor infrastructure. Masinga Sub-County has few tarmacked roads, leaving farmers at the mercy of brokers who buy their produce at throwaway prices.
“Our people are hardworking, but without roads and water, they cannot get value for their sweat,” Muoka says.
Women Finding A Lifeline In Beekeeping
For members such as Lucy Kitetu, beekeeping has become a lifeline. In just three years, she has harvested 25 kilogrammes of honey, providing her with an additional source of income.
“It is a lucrative venture that women should embrace. It does not require a lot of land and you can do it near your home,” she says.
Traditionally, beekeeping was largely considered an undertaking for men, but women in Ndithini are increasingly embracing the enterprise as a source of livelihood.
At the NCDA processing plant, Quality Officer Alexander Nzomo carefully inspects jars of pure, golden honey.
He says farmers who invested in beekeeping early are now reaping the benefits, thanks to support from Hand in Hand Eastern Africa, which provided modern honey-processing equipment.
Already, more than 400 farmers have joined the programme, collectively managing over 1,300 beehives.
“I ensure the honey is pure and of the best quality for consumers,” says Nzomo.
He says production fluctuates depending on the season, with January being among the low periods when little honey is harvested.
“There are low seasons like January when there is no honey, but we buy and store during peak season so that customers never lack supply,” he adds.
Nzomo notes that beekeeping is highly profitable because farmers do not require conventional agricultural inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides.
For farmer Francis Kitetu, the journey has not been without setbacks.
He recorded a failed harvest in 2025, but refused to abandon the venture. This year, his three beehives produced 11.5 kilogrammes of honey, which he sold at Sh540 per kilogramme.
“I started bee farming last year and this year I harvested 11.5 kilos, selling at Sh540 per kilogramme, and I saw it was profitable farming. It is proof that patience pays,” says Kitetu.
Tapping Kenya’s Honey Potential
Hand in Hand Eastern Africa chief executive officer Albert Wambugu is urging young people to embrace agriculture, noting that Kenya faces an annual honey shortfall of 80,000 metric tonnes.
He says supporting smallholder farmers with skills, equipment and market linkages can help communities turn beekeeping into sustainable enterprises.
“Empowering communities ensures quality, traceability and enterprise growth. We focus on equipping farmers with knowledge and skills on beekeeping,” says Wambugu.
He says the organisation has trained both farmers and service providers who regularly inspect beehives and provide technical support.
“We are creating an ecosystem together with partners like KCB, which is a financial partner in the area of apiculture,” he says.
The honey-processing unit is fully certified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), a development that has boosted consumer and market confidence in its products.
According to Wambugu, farmers have earned more than Sh700,000 from the initiative over the past two years, marking a significant milestone in the drive towards sustainability.
“Sustainability for us is when people are doing things in a responsible way, conscious of the future and especially in terms of protecting the environment,” he says.
Wambugu describes NCDA as a model organisation that other community institutions can benchmark on, particularly because of its governance structures and ability to turn community initiatives into viable enterprises.
NCDA has more than 7,000 members spread across three locations in Ndithini Sub-County, which was recently carved out of Masinga Sub-County.
The association is now demonstrating that even in some of Kenya’s driest lands, livelihoods can flourish—one beehive at a time.
