Total Land Care field officer George Tikiwa says his organisation plans to support about 300 youths from Rumphi District with beehives.

In an interview, he said people who live close to natural reserves such as Nyika National Park and Vwaza Game Reserve blame poverty for encroaching the reserves.

Said Tikiwa: “They argue that they poach animals and make charcoal to sell to earn a living.

“Therefore, the project will empower the youth economically through bee-keeping, thereby reducing dependence on the natural reserves.”

“There is an arrangement with sanctuary officials to allow the youth hang the beehives in the protected areas because they are conducive for bee-keeping.”

Rumphi district youth officer Misheck Msokwa said they will establish cooperatives and apply for Agricultural Commercialisation Project grant to set up honey processing and packaging centres.

He also said they plan to build a shop at Rumphi Boma to act as a storage centre for the honey before distribution to customers.

The Nyika-Vwaza Community Livelihood Support Project will see Kampenda-Lusani and Mwazisi-Chinkhalamu Youth cooperatives getting 100 beehives each, while Junju-Phoka and Chakaka Youth cooperatives will get 85 and 75 beehives, respectively.

The project is implemented with financial support from KFW.

Total Land Care focuses on agricultural and nature management programmes to improvement livelihoods of smallholder farmers

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