By Emmanuel Chilemba:
Namisempha Beekeeping Cooperative Secretary Christopher Chisesa speaks optimistically about the growth of their business entity, citing K30 million profit earned after selling about 6,260 kilogrammes (kg) of honey that was harvested in 2025.
According to Chisesa, profit was higher compared to 2024, when the cooperative harvested 4,860kg and sold it for K17 million.
“We started way back in 2003 and African Parks Majete, as an off-taker, came in in 2004. Since then, they have been offering us unwavering support, in terms of capacity building and relevant materials, including beehives, beeswax, smokers, market linkages and a fully furnished honey processing building. “We are now able to fend for our respective families,” Chisesa said.
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Standing in front of beehives while reciting the cooperative’s financial records, he said such economic empowerment has been life-changing.
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“The market linkage has been fruitful because they have also equipped us. Now we have three processing houses that are furnished with relevant materials.
Our strategic plan is to acquire 500 beehives in order to increase honey production [levels]. We have already registered the cooperative with the government,” he explained.
African Parks, through its Honey with Heart Project, is working in the catchment areas of the country’s national parks—Majete, Liwonde, and Nkhotakota—where it is off-taking honey from surrounding communities.
In a recent interview during a media tour of Mwanza District, project coordinator Innocent Manda said, besides supporting farmers with market linkage and capacity building, they were providing input supply, honey aggregation and bottling services.
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“Other off-takers just take the honey and mix it. We produce very high quality honey. Not all honey is equal. What I mean is, the honey here is capped honey when we harvest it. That is why we have the best honey in the country.
“After harvesting, the honey is brought to the processing house, where value-addition processes are undertaken and, then, it is supplied to supermarkets across the country,” Manda said.
The project seeks to buy 8 tonnes of honey in Chikwawa.
The Chikwawa District Food Systems Steering Committee has since engaged African Parks Majete over the possibility of extending its off-taking to beekeeping farmers outside their catchment areas.
Committee member Madalitso Makondi speaks optimistically about the fruitful discussions on market linkage, saying they have identified over 24 cooperatives to start selling their honey to the reserve, with talks underway to identify more.
“The process started with a food systems actors mapping exercise conducted by the Chikwawa Food Systems Steering Committee. The findings showed that one of the key challenges for beekeeping farmers was the lack of market linkages.
“We went further to engage Majete as a potential off-taker for these beekeeping farmers. Majete showed interest [in the issue] and indicated that they could be procuring honey from farmers beyond their catchment area. They made a commitment that they have the capacity to take up the farmers’ supplies in line with demand,” Makondi said.
Makondi, who is also Chikwawa District Council Principal Agriculture Extension Officer, expressed optimism that the structured market would go a long way in improving the livelihoods of farmers.
“One unique aspect of this arrangement is that for Majete to purchase honey from the farmers, they will be providing extension services. This is to ensure that the honey produced meets standards,” he indicated. One of the beekeepers, Precious Dambuleni from Macheso Cooperative, Traditional Authority Ngabu, hailed the food systems steering committee for facilitating the market linkage.
“Sometimes we were harvesting large quantities of honey but finding buyers was difficult. Those who came wanted small quantities and offered very low prices. We often ended up selling below value because we had no alternative,” Dambuleni said.
Between December last year and March this year, the district’s food systems steering committee conducted a comprehensive food systems actor and stakeholder mapping exercise in the Shire Valley district.
The exercise sought to clarify the responsibilities of food systems actors, strengthen ownership within district food systems steering structures, improve accountability among stakeholders, expose coordination gaps and support evidence-based planning.
The GIZ implemented project Step Up!, with support from German Cooperation, works with Mzimba, Dedza and Chikwawa district stakeholders to support the transformation of food systems governance.
