Modern beehives such as the Langstroth and Kenyan Top Bar designs are revolutionizing beekeeping in Rwanda, particularly for women.
Unlike traditional log hives—often placed high in trees and difficult to manage—modern hives are set on stands, easy to open, and allow honey harvesting without damaging the hive or harming the bees.
The Langstroth hive, developed in the United States, features removable wooden frames that bees fill with honey, which can be reused season after season. The Kenyan Top Bar hive, with its sloped design, is simpler to construct and ideal for small-scale farmers.
According to the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), a single modern hive can produce up to 60 kilograms of honey annually, far exceeding the 5–10 kilograms typically obtained from traditional hives.
This transition is not only boosting production but also attracting more women into the sector, thanks to improved tools, targeted training, and growing support from NGOs and government initiatives.
One such entrepreneur is Umy Uwimana, founder of 3N Farms, a honey production business she started in 2020. Initially involved in buying and selling honey, she was encouraged to take up beekeeping by an elderly producer who mentored her in bee care and honey production.
Her first batch came from just one jerrycan, sold to a local shopkeeper. Positive customer feedback inspired her to expand, and she soon transitioned to modern hives.
“Modern hives changed everything. They produce more honey in less time, and harvesting is cleaner and less wasteful. With traditional hives, honey, wax, and even water got mixed together,” she said.
Uwimana now manages 100 modern hives, mainly Langstroth, and partners with smallholder beekeepers in Ngororero and Gatsibo districts. Each hive yields up to 60 kilograms per season.
Solange Uwituze, Deputy Director General at RAB, said many women join beekeeping through cooperatives, where they gain technical skills, share equipment, and market honey collectively.
“These cooperatives empower women, strengthen leadership, and give them an independent income while allowing them to balance household and farming duties,” she explained.
Beekeeping also benefits the environment through improved crop pollination and forest conservation. In areas like Nyungwe, women-led cooperatives are producing sustainable honey while increasing family incomes and community resilience.
Emilienne Mukasine, a cooperative member since 2012, switched to modern hives after receiving training. While yields improved, she noted challenges from pesticides and climate change, which can reduce harvests.
Uwituze acknowledged these challenges but said training on safe farming and strategic hive placement is helping reduce bee losses. She added that modern beekeeping remains a cost-effective way for women to earn income from high-value products like honey, beeswax, and propolis.