Nyandungu Eco-Park beekeeping venture targets Rwf40 million in annual honey revenue

A beekeeping venture at Nyandungu Eco-Park in Kigali is targeting annual honey production of about 5,000 kilogrammes and projected revenues of Rwf40 million once it reaches planned capacity. Nyandungu Honey Star Cooperative, a 48-member group, is developing the enterprise, EIN Presswire reported on October 21, 2026.

Inside the Nyandungu Honey Star Cooperative

The cooperative has been allocated a designated beekeeping site within the park and provided with 100 modern beehives, equipment and training in modern beekeeping techniques, according to the report. Members are also receiving continued technical and business development support. Seventy per cent of the members are women.

Ildephonse Kambogo, the manager of Nyandungu Eco-Park, said the initiative seeks to take advantage of improved conditions for beekeeping following the restoration of the wetland and its biodiversity. "These figures represent projected results. Realising them will depend on colony health, forage availability, production performance, product quality and access to reliable markets," Kambogo said.

Nasson Ntirenganya, president of Nyandungu Honey Star Cooperative, said members were still setting up the operation and had yet to make their first harvest. "We have not yet harvested, as we are still setting up. Each member was previously working independently, but we have joined forces to form a cooperative and take advantage of the investment opportunity," Ntirenganya said. "We are preparing to harvest in February next year."

The venture is emerging from the wider restoration of Nyandungu wetland, which has improved vegetation and forage availability for bees and other pollinators. Nyandungu Eco-Tourism Park currently covers 121 hectares, comprising about 70 hectares of wetland and 50 hectares of forest, and hosts more than 62 indigenous plant species. The restoration involved planting 17,000 trees representing 55 indigenous species, and nearly 200 bird species that had migrated from the area because of wetland degradation have returned following its rehabilitation.

Kambogo said the improved ecosystem has created conditions for enterprises such as beekeeping while demonstrating how environmental restoration can generate economic benefits. "Nyandungu Eco-Park demonstrates how wetland restoration can protect biodiversity while promoting sustainable livelihoods in Rwanda," he said.

Nyandungu Eco-Park Expansion and Visitor Growth

The park is set to expand by an additional 43 hectares, while its cycling and walking trails are expected to increase from the current 10 kilometres to 15 kilometres. The park welcomed 111,710 visitors in 2025, up from 76,754 in 2024.

Several projects have been identified as potential opportunities for private investment, including a proposed 16- to 24-room eco-lodge or a cluster of eco-cabins, a restaurant serving locally sourced meals, and a wellness centre incorporating indigenous herbs. Kambogo said recreational activities could also be expanded beyond the cycling and running already taking place along the park's trails, with potential additions including outdoor fitness stations, team-building facilities, nature obstacle courses, calisthenics areas, volleyball, basketball and mini-football facilities. The park is also considering introducing fly-fishing, and could host weddings and other events beneath its mature tree canopy.

Rwanda's annual honey production stood at 7,000 tonnes as of August 2024, below the target of 8,611 tonnes set under the fourth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA4).