Bee farming in advanced greenhouses: Mitigating Rwanda’s pollinator decline and honey loss

Some Beekeepers experiencing Production Losses

According to MINAGRI, Rwanda’s beekeeping sector remains significant, with 7,620 beekeepers: 5,071 men and 2,759 women, organized into 197 cooperatives, alongside many others who practice beekeeping individually. Together, cooperative members manage 27,044 hives, including 18,004 traditional and 9,040 modern hives. Despite ongoing challenges such as pesticide exposure, climate variability, and habitat loss, honey production has steadily increased over the past five years. This Ministry revealed that honey production was rising from 5,500 metric tons in 2019–2020 to 5,800 in 2020–2021; 6,135 in 2021–2022; 7,250 in 2022–2023; 7,621 in 2023–2024, and reaching 8,460 metric tons in 2024–2025.

Edouard Nizeyimana, a member of a beekeeping cooperative operating in Ndego Sector, KAYONZA District with over 22 years of experience, says he has suffered significant losses due to chemical pesticides that also kill bees. He once managed about 100 hives but now maintains only 10 as a result of chemical exposure.

“Bees cannot survive pesticide exposure. When they come into contact with insecticides, they die, become paralyzed, and production collapses,” he explains.

NIZEYIMANA notes that honey yields have dropped drastically: “Previously, one could harvest between 100 and 150 kilograms per season. Today, only 30 kilograms are obtainable. When bees die, production collapses entirely.” 

He added that the “Bees cannot survive as long as agriculture continues to rely on crop-protection chemicals. It’s a widespread issue. Even if measures are taken, no solution ignoring pesticide use will work.”

The Rwandan government encourages farmers to spray pesticides in the evening or at night when bees are safely inside their hives. However, NIZEYIMANA says this is often impractical. “Imagine a farmer managing one or three hectares of tomatoes, having invested 20 million RWF. Telling them to spray only in the evening is unrealistic; it may take several days. Some measures often remain impractical,” he stated.

Many fellow beekeepers face the same challenge as NIZEYIMANA’s. "Everywhere you turn, there’s no real solution,” he noted. He warned that if no decisive action is taken to address pesticide use and protect pollinators, beekeeping in Ndego Sector could completely disappear.

Madame BAGIRANEZA Josephine, who leads local beekeepers in six cooperatives in KAYONZA, confirms that improper pesticide application is the main driver of bee mortality in Ndego Sector.

“Farmers apply chemicals whenever convenient, despite regulations. This reduces honey yields and family income, affecting education and healthcare expenses,” she highlighted. 

“Our efforts to protect bees require continuous awareness campaigns, collaboration with local authorities, and farmer compliance,” she emphasized. She reported that other cooperative face similar losses due climate challenges but fewer pesticide-related losses because their bees do not interact with sprayed crops.

Across Rwanda, from Kayonza to the buffer zone of Nyungwe National Park, beekeepers report similar losses. Theogene NIZEYIMANA, who has been a beekeeper since 2013 and leads the cooperatives across Nyungwe, reports that honey production between mid-2024 and 2025 fell by approximately 47% due to pesticide exposure and other environmental factors.

“When bees die, production declines because the number of active bees directly determines honey yield,” he explains. “Surviving bees may carry pesticide residues into the hive, contaminating remaining honey and weakening colonies,” he stated.

NIZEYIMANA noted that some farmers have begun to recognize the importance of bees to their agricultural production and have started spraying pesticides in the evening hours, when most bees have already returned to their hives. However, he emphasized that more effort is needed to strengthen awareness and education to ensure wider compliance.

Under Law No. 22/2021 of 17/06/2021, the Government of Rwanda has established a legal framework to regulate pesticide use in order to protect human health, preserve the environment, and safeguard pollinators such as bees. The law requires clear labeling and proper handling of chemical pesticides, sets specific guidelines on application timing and dosage to reduce environmental harm, mandates farmer training on safe and responsible pesticide use, and provides for enforcement measures and penalties against illegal or unsafe practices.

However, Dr. Athanase NDUWUMUREMYI of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) notes that many farmers lack adequate knowledge on proper pesticide application, often resulting in overuse with harmful consequences. He further explains that applying pesticides in the evening or at night, when bees are in their hives, does not fully resolve the problem, as chemical residues remain in the environment.

“As long as chemicals are applied weekly, there will always be environmental impact. Evening spraying reduces risk, but does not eliminate it,” he emphasizes.

MUKASEKURU Mathilde works at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) tasked with overseeing livestock production, also supervises and monitors Rwanda’s beekeeping sector, acknowledges that pesticide use in crop production is indeed a major challenge to beekeeping, but she stresses that it is not the only one.

“Other challenges include the decline of forests and shrubs where bees forage, forcing them to travel long distances in search of food, and many fail to return to their hives,” she explains.

She adds that climate change has further intensified the problem: “Heavy rainfall washes away pollen from flowers and may even catch bees on their way back to the hive, killing them. On the other hand, excessive heat dries up vegetation, and the remaining plants may not flower at all.”

MUKASEKURU also notes that limited knowledge among some beekeepers on proper hive management and supplemental feeding contributes to colony losses, with some bees dying of starvation inside the hives. Nevertheless, she emphasizes that efforts are being made collectively to address these challenges so that honey production can increase and those engaged in beekeeping and related activities can derive sustainable economic benefits.

Integrated pest management and organic alternatives

Abias MANIRAGABA, an environmental expert, notes that many farmers over apply chemical pesticides, sometimes harming humans and pollinators. Inorganic pesticides, containing harsh chemicals, can immediately kill bees. 

He highlighted the importance of integrated pest management (IPM) to mitigate chemical risks. “However, farmers can adopt practices that minimize chemical use,” he explains. “Some natural-friendly alternatives include tobacco or plant called Nyiramunukanabi. Farmers can also use cow urine-based sprays as a deterrent, not to kill pests but to repel them,” he added.

MANIRAGABA also recommends inter-cropping flowers with crops to reduce pesticide dependence, maintain pollinator activity, and increase ecosystem resilience.

In Kenya, small-scale farmer Zackary Kibiri uses biological pesticides derived from pyrethrin inside his greenhouse. Even so, he removes the hives during spraying to prevent contact exposure.

“Even biological pesticides can harm bees if applied incorrectly,” he explains. “I cover the hives with insect nets during sprays and return them only when it’s safe.”

Dr. Athanase NDUWUMUREMYI, senior scientist at Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), notes ongoing research on disease-resistant crops, such as late-blight-resistant potatoes, which can lower chemical usage. “These seeds do not require pesticide application. Once available to farmers, they will help reduce chemical usage and protect pollinators,” he notes.

While fully eliminating pesticides remains challenging, Dr. NDUWUMUREMYI acknowledges that completely eliminating chemical use is unrealistic, given that many crops are vulnerable to pests and diseases. 

Greenhouse Beekeeping: Opportunities and Constraints

Advanced greenhouses provide a controlled environment that can protect bees from pesticides, habitat loss, and extreme weather, but they come with biological challenges. Bees naturally require diverse foraging areas to produce high-quality honey, yet greenhouse confinement limits their movement, reduces nectar variety, and may affect colony health.

Theogene NIZEYIMANA alarmed that “Bees need to forage widely to produce quality honey. In greenhouses, movement is restricted, limiting nectar diversity.”

Experiences from China indicate that greenhouse beekeeping can succeed if nectar-rich flowers are strategically planted and bees are periodically released to forage, though adapting local species remains difficult, as revealed by Mme Bagiraneza Josephine.

Kenyan farmer Zackary Kibiri uses African honey bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) in greenhouses for bell peppers, cucumbers, and courgettes, supplementing with high-nectar crops like sunflower and basil. He notes that moving hives frequently during pesticide spraying disrupts the colonies, while temporarily relocating hives outside and using insect nets reduces exposure. Research at ICIPE also explores alternative pollinators, such as Macrotermes ferruginea, emphasizing the need for local scientific guidance before adoption.

Experts, including Dr. Athanase Nduwumuremyi, stress that greenhouse beekeeping cannot fully replace natural foraging. Compared with open-field beehives, challenges include lower honey yields, disturbances from moving hives, and the need to provide enough nectar to prevent bees from consuming stored honey. Safe pesticide management is critical, even when using biological alternatives, and consultation with research institutions like RAB is recommended.

Dr. Isaac Mubashankwaya, an expert in organic agroecology with CAPCN who also experiencing in greenhouse farming, notes that greenhouse construction is costly for small and medium-scale farmers unless they have external funding. Using examples, he explains:

A 30×8 m wood-framed greenhouse costs approximately RWF 5.5 million.

A 30×8 m steel-framed greenhouse costs around RWF 12 million.

The largest steel-framed greenhouses can reach up to RWF 60 million.

A 36×14 m steel-framed greenhouse costs about RWF 20 million.

He recommends that smallholder farmers prioritize wood-framed greenhouses, as they are more affordable and, with proper maintenance, can last 5–10 years. However, accessing finance for greenhouse construction remains a significant challenge for many smallholders.

Although establishing greenhouses requires additional effort, integrating crop cultivation with beekeeping is essential to protect pollinators and safeguard agricultural yields. Mukasekuru, a MINAGRI official overseeing livestock and beekeeping production, notes that targeted measures have been implemented to support beekeepers. These include advising the planting of nectar-rich flowers and trees near beehives, constructing shelters to protect hives from heavy rain, and providing supplementary feeding during periods of excessive rainfall or supplying water during intense heat, as bees are sensitive to extreme weather conditions.

Data from beekeepers, researchers, and government experts show Rwanda’s pollinator decline demands urgent, coordinated action. Farmers must coordinate with beekeepers to apply pesticides safely, while awareness campaigns educate communities on pollinator-friendly practices. Research on inorganic pesticide alternatives and greenhouse beekeeping can protect biodiversity and sustain honey production. MINAGRI and RAB are tasked with enforcing pesticide regulations and supporting sustainable apiculture. Failure to act risks collapsing honey yields in some area, livelihoods of smallholder beekeepers, and broader agricultural productivity. Experts advise that safeguarding pollinators is no longer optional, it is essential for Rwanda’s food security, ecosystem resilience, and long-term agricultural sustainability.

This story sponsored by FOJO and REJ