County Government of Laikipia

Simon Mulwa, a father of two from Laikipia, lost his monthly job back in 2002 and he went into panic mode. Trained in automotive technology by NYS, he had gained enough work experience but he did not know what to do next.

  

As he pondered what to do next, his eyes wandered to a lone traditional log beehive hanging from one of his trees in his home in Marmanet, Laikipia West.

  

There lay the answer for his troubles.

  

He ventured into the Apiculture business without turning back.

  

I started my business with one traditional beehive in 2002 but have now advanced to become a renowned consultant in this field. recalls Mulwa.

  

Apiculture is one of the promising business ventures in the country. Today, Mulwa's business is among more than 500 SMEs which are being incubated under the Laikipia Innovation and Enterprise Development Programme. Though the innovator registered his business Api bio and Cultural Enterprise Limited in 2018, he had been offering apicultural consultancy services long before the official registration of his business.

  

Harvesting, consultancy services, packaging, value addition, and breeding bees are the main services that popularized Mulwa's name in Marmanet and beyond. His brands include Api-care and Api-cure, the major products that the business focuses on.

  

I thank Christian Community Services (CCS), an NGO that came up with a poverty eradication programme in 2004. The organization was looking for beekeepers who have at least one beehive for assurance of background knowledge in this field. I was one of them. reminisces Mulwa. He adds that the opportunity came as a breakthrough for him as he was taken for training for two weeks in Nakuru after which he formed a group of 23 in 2006, which required everyone to have at least a hive.

  

Members started going their separate ways from 2010 after most had succeeded in apiculture. The NGO later took him to various locations in Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Maua to teach other potential farmers the necessary measures needed to succeed in the business.

  

His urge to succeed in the industry saw him, upon owning a smartphone, enrolling in online learning in 2008/09.

  

I remember in 2008 when Governor Ndiritu Muriithi was then an MP and he was promoting Chora Bizna Programme through ' One Programme One Product' which further helped me in my business establishment. said Mulwa.

  

Mulwa says he and Joshua Koskey, one of the members of his group emerged among the 100 people in the Chora Bizna competition and thus qualified for a two-week-long training at Inoorero University in Nairobi in 2011. The innovator is grateful to the current County Government for coming up with Innovation and Enterprise Development Program.

  

In 2017 I had an opportunity to exhibit my products courtesy of the County Government of Laikipia in Nyahururu. The opportunity allowed me to qualify to the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre sponsorship for a two-year training at Strathmore University after winning Ksh. 1.5 million. he said.

  

The entrepreneur is available to offer consultancy services in regards to bee-keeping and value addition and has a workshop for constructing modern beehives where he also makes follow-ups upon selling the hives.

  

He also breeds bees to come up with a variety he refers to as the ' super bee'

  

The improved variety is more resistant to diseases and drought. Mulwa's plans to expand the enterprise into a research and training center. However, since the coming of COVID-19 in the country, his business was adversely affected, and had to structure a more innovative way to remain relevant and survive.

  

On February 15th this year, I opened up another business to solve problems that COVID-19 had causes. The enterprise uses natural products to improve people's immunity levels to fight coronavirus and other possible diseases. says the entrepreneur, adding that his business is called Happy Bio Shop in Oljabet.

  

The products are mainly in juice forms from sugarcane, honey, ginger, garlic, and lemon.

  

Mulwa gets his raw material from the locals. Asking him about where he sees his business in the next five years, Mulwa had this to say:

  

Upgraded enterprise that will have standard structures and equipment that will improve product and services which will provide food security, eradicate poverty by creating employment for a better living standard.

  

You can reach Mulwa on 0723270531.

  

(Published by ICT | Source: Laikipia Weekly Newsletter Issue 0057).