DUPOTO Cooperative was registered on 26th February 2021, by the Commissioner for Cooperative Development with the name: “DUPOTO BEEKEEPING & MARKETING COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED”. Their objective focuses on bee products and the honey value chain to improve the livelihoods of the people bordering Mukogodo Forest Reserve.
Its membership is derived from the 21 beekeeping community interest groups (CIGs) or user groups, who are members of ILMAMUSI Mukogodo Forest Association (CFA).
Dupoto membership has over 2,280 beehives (both traditional and improved). Dupoto honey aims to be 100% organic and is one of the best honeys in the Laikipia landscape. Yet only 20% of the total honey value is being harvested from the Mukogodo landscape, according to national statistics on the area’s potential for honey production.
With the help of GEF 6/FAO funding the Forum has worked to build the capacity of these user groups, supported good governance principles in the newly appointed Board, and developed a Business Plan with the Cooperative. A total of 241 people were trained in 21 groups.
For 85% of the people, this was their first exposure to the formal training in beekeeping, the honey markets, and the honey value chain. More importantly, the training was conducted in Maa, helping to make both access and retention better. Notable is the higher number of women beekeepers among the groups trained, and among the more than 400 members of the Cooperative.
Dupoto sees honey sales as an income generator, a tool for local livelihoods, an incentive for forest conservation, and as a peace-keeping ingredient – bringing together our collective good intentions of peace and prosperity in the Forest.
Look out soon for more Dupoto honey sales at your local shop, grocery, and hotels. Once you taste the value of Dupoto Honey, you won’t look for anything else.
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