Agronomist turning bees into money making machine

For Givans Odowa, beekeeping is more than a source of honey and income. It is a business opportunity, a tool for enhancing farmers’ livelihoods and, increasingly, a means of conserving the environment.

Odowa, an agronomist by profession, technical trainer and beekeeper, is the founder and chief executive officer of Ambugo Africa, an enterprise that offers training opportunities for beekeeping, production of honey and consultancy services on matters agriculture.

His journey into beekeeping started modestly with just five hives. Through practical experience, farmer training and community engagement, he has steadily expanded his knowledge and turned his passion into an enterprise focused on equipping farmers with modern beekeeping skills.

“I started with five hives, and the journey has grown through practical experience, engagement with the communities and training farmers” he tells CityBiz crew.

His professional development has also been shaped by his involvement in initiatives and projects related with organisations including Pamoja and GIZ’s Agrijobs4 Youths programme for Transformation.

Through Ambugo Africa, Odowa who is currently based in Nyakach, Kisumu County trains farmers on modern apiary management, covering areas such as site selection, hive management, bee biology, colony inspection, disease and pest control, harvesting of honey, value addition and safety.