By Brave Tumuranzye,
KABALE
Kabale District local Government under the entomology department has donated beekeeping equipment to Apiary farmers worth millions of shillings.
According to the district Senior Entomologist, Honest Tumuheirwe, the equipments include, 95 Kenya top beehives, 10 overalls and 28 buckets among others, valued at 11,450,000 million shillings.
At least 10 selected apiary farmers received the equipment as a demonstration on the use of the Kenya top beehives in Kabale District.
Speaking during the equipment handover ceremony at Kabale Municipal yard, several farmers expressed worry about the counterfeit pesticides on the market which they say puts them at risk of losing their businesses.
Rev. Capt. Wilson Byarugaba, a bee farmer from Kaharo Sub County, said farmers who spray their crop gardens with pesticides kill bees unknowingly. He asked the government to reduce the use of toxic pesticides. Byarugaba says the use of toxic pesticides does not only affect the bees, but also affects the market as a result of contamination.
Gideon Atwongire, another bee farmer from Karujanga parish in Kibuga Sub County says that more than 30 of his beehives are empty due to the decline of bees in the area, resulting from pesticides used by farmers. He explained that the smells of chemicals used to spray crops force bees to leave beehives while others are killed.
In response, Tumuhirwe noted that both farmers dealing in crops and beekeeping must co-exist and advised farmers to consider spraying their crops late in the evening when bees are not foraging.
