Beekeeping Expert

Role Overview

This position places you as the senior apiculture authority for the AGROBLUE initiative, a 36-month partnership led by Action Against Hunger with CEFA and other consortium members, operating in Tana River and Kwale counties. Your work will focus on making beekeeping a dependable source of income for smallholder farmers and fishing communities, with special attention to Tana River’s distinct ecological conditions. You will spend significant time in the field: inspecting apiaries, coaching farmer groups, and ensuring that every hive, harvest, and market activity matches the project’s climate-smart and value-chain strengthening goals.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on technical support for beekeeping groups, including colony management, queen identification, pest and disease control, and proper honey harvesting techniques.
• Perform periodic audits of installed apiaries to assess colony health, colonisation rates, and hive productivity; where low colonisation occurs, introduce immediate corrective measures adapted to local conditions.
• Build the capacity of farmers on hygiene standards, post-harvest handling, consumer education, and marketing or promotional strategies for beekeeping products.
• Work with project officers and technical consultants to plan training sessions, monitor delivery quality, and fill any knowledge gaps that emerge after formal workshops.
• Ensure that hives, protective equipment, and related infrastructure are correctly used and maintained by beneficiary groups, providing guidance that prevents asset abandonment.
• Develop technical solutions tailored to Tana River’s micro-climates, taking into account local bee behaviour, seasonal forage availability, and environmental protection priorities.
• Prepare and submit regular work plans, progress reports, and technical documentation covering hive productivity, colony health, and target achievement.
• Collaborate closely with project managers to identify implementation challenges and propose practical, timely adjustments that keep activities on track.

Requirements & Qualifications

• University degree in agriculture, apiculture, animal science, veterinary science, forestry, or a related field.
• At least 4 years of professional experience in apiculture or bee-related agricultural development work.
• Proven experience in facilitating beekeeping trainings, study tours, and practical demonstrations for farmer groups or community organisations.
• Demonstrated ability to market and promote beekeeping products, including honey and other hive outputs, in local or regional value chains.
• Strong practical bee-handling skills in varied conditions, including colony reading, product extraction and assessment, and diagnosis of common bee diseases with knowledge of appropriate treatments.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in both English and Swahili.
• Familiarity with Tana River County, particularly coastal apiculture ecosystems and the socio-economic context of rural beekeeping communities.
• A valid Kenyan motorcycle riding licence (minimum Class A2) and the willingness to travel by motorcycle through remote and rugged terrain is considered an added advantage.