Kalahari Honey

Improving local environment via sustainable beekeeping and agricultural practices
2021 SEED Climate Adaptation Awards; Government of Flanders
Biodiversity
Francistown
Botswana

Kalahari Honey’s mission is to bring balance between human, wildlife and the environment. The enterprise operates a beekeeping business as a way to mitigate human and wildlife conflict, feed more families, create jobs and build sustainable communities. They train and supply farmers with beehives to use as ‘active’ fences to prevent elephants from destroying their farms. 

The uniqueness in Kalahari’s business model is that the user is not customer. The users of the enterprise’ beehives are rural farmers who face challenges keeping elephants from destroying their farm. The farmers sell bee products back to the enterprise to market to customers globally. Kalahari buys back honey from farmers, processes, package and sells them in the consumer market.

Eco-inclusive Impacts
Increased pollination through the propagation of bee colonies and the introduction of more indigenous, drought-resistant plant species contribute to an enhanced climate resilience, reversing ongoing desertification and sustaining local livelihoods.
  • Employing more than 500 whose habitations are in conflict with wildlife and giving them a solution that also increases their income
  • Providing training to rural communities and youth in skills such as, beekeeping, candle making, pollen & propolis making, venom farming, and queen multiplication
  • Increasing bee colonies that increase pollination, and introduces more plant species, helping to reverse ongoing desertification.
  • Providing community training on conservational sustainable agriculture that focuses on tackling plant diseases.
  • Capturing more than 40% of the local market share.
  • Exporting honey products to three (3) other countries
  • Helping farmers increase income from honey sales, to be able to provide more for their families’ wellbeing, food, education and housing.

Partners

Kalahari Honey provides a solution to a conflict between farmers and native elephant population. The enterprise introduces bee farming to farmers, trains and supplies them with beehives to put alongside their farm to keep elephants away. This builds sustainable communities and creates harmony between human and wildlife.

Local Enterprise Authority incubates Kalahari through their national start-up incubation program.

 

Botswana Innovation Hub provides Kalahari with incubation support. They also provide Kalahari a working space to operate from.