The bee-keeper does not need to own land to keep bees. Bee hives can be in community-held land such as thickets, forests and woodlands.
Bee-keeping is environment-friendly and can be productive even in semi-arid areas that are unsuitable for other agricultural use.
The market for bee products is locally, regionally and internationally available. Honey and bee brood are sources of carbohydrate and protein food that farmers can obtain at a minimal cost.
Isaac Malinga, a beekeeper says pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries use bee products such as honey, bee wax, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom.
The most important service the honeybees render to mankind is the pollination of agricultural and forestry crops.
There is an expanding international niche market for special flavoured and organic honey which could be exported.
Alice Kangave, the principal entomologist in apiculture at the Ministry of Agriculture says, first of all, bee-keeping requires one to have basic training, and she gives farmers tips.
-You need a piece of land which has trees and flowers to act as shelter and windbreakers.
-You should have beehives, harvesting equipment
-The site should be about 100 metres away from residential houses, schools, hospitals or industries.
-The area should be near a water source so that bees do not move for a long distance to look for water.
-The area should not be on top of a hill or valley, because these places are usually cold.
-It should be slashed but not dug because the bees do not like the smell of soil.
-The apiary should be well-fenced to keep livestock, wild animals and children away.
-After site selection, the next step is to acquire materials for use. The main material is the hive. There are different types of hives ranging from traditional hives for subsistence use to improved, modern hives for commercial use.
-Also get a catcher box, which is a small hive, it is only a quarter the size of the attract bees of a small colony to multiply and transferred into the modern site.
