Julius Mwale joined Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) on March 1st 2004 as a Bee-keeping Specialist. Julius is based in Lundazi, where he is training COMACO producer groups in honey production using modern methods. The professional forester is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive Honey Production Programme in the core area, around the Lundazi National Forest and Lukusuzi National Park. Julius is further responsible for enhancing honey producers’ capacities by strengthening their technical know-how-to by maximizing the use of modern hives. He also strengthens and helps to create new Producer Groups at chiefdom level. To propel the honey production project, Julius ensures that theres proper coordination among producer groups and mobilizes resources for the production of high quality honey and other bee products.

Self-motivated and enthusiastic, Julius is in charge of improving the management of watershed areas by strengthening the flow of conservation information and providing better market alternatives in the form of forest-related sustainable products, like honey.

Before the introduction of the COMACO Honey Production Project in Lundazi, people in the area used traditional methods to produce honey. The methods involved cutting down trees with bees and starting fires to create smoke for collecting honey. The methods caused mass destruction of bees and larvae, thereby destroying the local forests and reducing bee population valuable in pollination. In addition honey collected using such methods was usually of poor quality and dirty.

Since the time Julius joined COMACO, he has been maximizing the use of modern methods in producing high quality honey which also helps to maintain natural resources and the bee population. Julius has been encouraging the use of improved bar hives (Kenyan Top bar hives) and log hives. The log hives are nicely made from dead trees and given to the producer groups.

Through the use of these modern hives, honey production in Eastern Province has significantly increased with some producers groups producing up to 240 kilograms of honey in one season.

In 2005 a total of 1,600 Kilograms of comb honey was harvested from producer groups while in 2006 a total of 2,200Kilograms of honey was harvested. This year about 5,050 kilograms of honey has already been harvested in one season. More kilograms of honey are expected to be harvested in the next season which would be in November through to December.

For his significant contribution in honey production in Eastern Province, WCS is proud to

recognise Julius as the COMACO Person of the month.