Fourth Line Limited

Producing moveable, durable and productive beehives
2019 SEED Africa & South Africa Climate Adaptation Awards; Government of Flanders
Sustainable Agriculture
Lusaka
Zambia

Fourthline Limited developed and is scaling a unique designed beehive that is movable, durable and increases farmers productivity per hive, all made from reclaimed wood offcuts, and low cost solar powered bee venom harvesting devices uniquely designed to fit the Miombo forest climate.

The hives and devices are consigned to outgrowers by engaging them to produce honey and bee venom for increased production for export into global markets. Payments to outgrowers are made in cash, supplies or solar products; our system is backed by a block chain based supply chain verification system to prevent fraud, increase transparency, improve producers’ quality and expand economic opportunities for engaged farmers for sustainable honey and bee venom production.

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
The project creates scalable, tangible income generating opportunities to 2,500 young and female rural outgrowers that are contributing towards lifting thousands of rural communities out of poverty, while lowering the alarming rate of deforestation in the region and bolstering local bee populations.
  • Engaging local actors with beehives to boost productivity uplift from 15kg to 75 kgs of honey per beehive.
  • Promoting access to alternative livelihoods among rural communities
  • Training 40% women and 60% youth beekeepers
  • Reducing the cutting of trees used for charcoal and wood burning by introducing solar solutions
  • Using wood waste instead of tree bucks to produce hives
  • Bolstering local bee populations which are under threat
  • Helping communities find alternative sources of income that are not detrimental to the environment, which sustain their livelihoods, and which have the ability to help lift them out of poverty.

Partners

Fourth Line Limited is an agribusiness operating in rural Zambia, producing moveable, durable and highly productive beehives, and low cost solar powered bee venom harvesting devices.

Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is providing Fourth Line with technical assistance in the developing of value added products and technological advancements of the project and helps to identify, mobilize and train strategic rural outgrowers through local grassroots. https://www.iowajpec.org/yaliatuiowa

The International Centre for Evaluation and Development – ICED; is providing training and technical support in developing M & E plans and systems to support the organization's strategic priorities. https://www.iced-eval.org

International Trade Center / Partnership for Investment and Growth Africa (PIGA); supports the development of the enterprise and helps Fourth Line gain market access abroad for export and investment. http://www.intracen.org/piga/