Stephen Kaboyo, a trained engineer, ditched his promising career to venture into bee farming.
Kaboyo graduated with a structural engineering degree from Moi University and immediately secured a job at a local firm - David Engineering. It was during his fieldwork and interaction with farmers that he developed a passion for farming.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke he revealed that began with avocado growing before an unusual occurrence in his firm sparked interest in beekeeping.
“One morning, while in my avocado farm, I noticed that a swarm of bees had built a hive on one of the avocado trees. This was the on-set of my bee-keeping endeavour,” Kaboyo intimated.
The youthful farmer also mentioned that he went through training in bee-keeping, a process that would be essential in turning his passion into an income generating venture.
In 2015, he founded Bellafam Africa, a company that does value addition to honey. Other than honey and bee wax, he saw opportunity in propolis, honey combs and bee venom.
Kaboyo admitted to having a slow start at the beginning owing to financial constrains to fully invest in his business. Today, he has 14 employees
His company produces chai-dawa, a mixture of honey and other natural ingredients. He makes body ointments from propolis. Propolis is also good for people with ulcers.
His company processes soap, skin jelly, wood polish and candles from bee wax. The candles, he claimed, are friendly to asthmatic people.
He sells honey at Ksh600 a kilo while a kilo of processed bee wax goes for Ksh1000.He also designs Langstroth and Kenya Top Bar apiaries which retail at Ksh6,000 and Ksh5,000 respectively.
In addition, his company offers bee evacuation services ranging from Ksh5,000 to Ksh10,000. In addition, Bellafam also makes bee suits and leather gloves, selling each set for Ksh5,000
The business has since picked up and although he did not reveal figures on is earnings, he admits that he does not regret making the switch from his career.
"It was tough at first, but I do not regret making the switch," he intimated to this writer.
The trained engineer, however, noted that his business, like any any other, has its challenges. There is a low yield due to the low bee population brought about by excessive use of pesticides.
In addition, he raised concern about the new regulations in the proposed Livestock Bill, stating that it would lead to increase in the cost of production.
