BEES BUSINESS
BY MARK HEATH
The oldest and most intact coastal forest in East Africa hosts home to the ‘Mini-Five’ a well joked about subject when talking to any ranger or guide. However, a perhaps overlooked team of the ecosystem that often go under-appreciated and undervalued; the pollinators. Hidden amongst the forest are the quiet but hard-working African Honey Bees and other species that ensure the survival and reproduction of every plant and tree in the ecosystem. An integral part of this world through ensuring biodiversity, bees and other pollinators rarely bask in the limelight.
A major attraction when visiting the sandy beaches of Watamu is the Arabuko Sokoke forest. Once a forest that dominated the East African coast from Somalia to Mozambique, there is precious little left of this great natural ecosystem. Just a few minutes from Watamu, the diverse flora and fauna are breath taking to any range of visitors, whether passionate conservationists or young children.
After a little more enquiring having seen “Arabuko Sokoke Honey” on the shelves of Blue Marmalade, I went on a little adventure to see what I could find. On the main Mombasa - Malindi highway, just before Matsangoni if you’re coming from Watamu, there is a little settlement known as “Stage ya Maziwa” where the main man of Honeydom Enterprise, Emmanuel, lives. After briefly being shown round his shop which was very much still under construction, he took me around the back, ordered some local tea and chapati and we started chatting.
Emmanuel explained that the signficance of the project at Honeydom Enterprise is the focus of using any profits made from the sales of honey or related products being reinvested back into the community, especially towards widows and orphans. We then walked around the nearby apiaries - 2 in the multifloral terrestrial forrest and 2 in the mangrove forrest. At one of the apiary’s, he introduced me to another aspect of his business, apitherapy. This involves being stung by a bee to help boost immune system operation and has been linked to greatly helping with arthritis. An interesting concept but very much an “at your own risk” sort of treatment!
After a mind opening morning, walking and talking with Emmanuel, we then enjoyed tasting the different honeys. As a honey lover, this was my favourite bit and ended up parting with some cash but carrying a decent wack of some of the finest kenyan honey home. All in all it was a very good experience and I highly recommended to anyone interested in bees and how they can help better the world, in this case in a small community who live off the land and are finding multiple sources of income through keeping bees. A quick journey home and I was back on the beach enjoying the sunshine in Watamu. A great trip for half a day if your looking for something different to do, and no doubt you will learn something new.