Black Pavila

Black Pavila is a startup that intends to empower income generation in rural homes by promoting financial independence and stability among women and the youth in the community. 

We will pioneer modern beekeeping techniques by establishing an apiary and testing different methods to find out which is best. Once tested, we shall take the most viable techniques and practices and prototype them into a teachable model. We will then train competent and willing women and young people in the techniques that we have established that are both viable and cost-effective. We shall then help them start their beekeeping ventures and when they have a product, we shall partner with them to be able to find good prices for their products and prevent them from being exploited by middlemen.

Apart from that, using data science, we shall establish maps that show bee hotspots in the country. Using this information we shall offer to freely set up apiaries in the hotspots at no cost to the individuals living there but share on the resultant profit with the individuals. This we believe will be the best way to utilize bee patterns.

Currently, 46 percent of the Kenyan population lives on less than 1 USD a day, 36.5 percent are food insecure and 35 percent of children under five are stunted (chronically malnourished) in Kenya. This is despite 40% of urban and 70% of rural population taking up agriculture as their primary source of income. This means that there is a gap in the agricultural system that needs to be addressed.

It is common for rural farmers in Kenya to sell one kilo of honey between Ksh. 500 and Ksh.600 but in the urban and abroad markets , the price of honey ranges from Ksh. 800 to Ksh. 5,000, meaning that there is a huge markup on the prices enforced by middlemen. This means that farmers do not get value for their products. This is primarily caused by the fact that many rural farmers do not have access to large urban markets and/or they are not able to reach the quotas and quality required for them to make a profit in targeting the large markets.

The result is that the farmers live in a poor and pitiful state, without their efforts leading to an increase in the household income.

• An open and disorganized market system leads to the exploitation of farmers, we will give the control back to the farmers by partnering with farmers and shortening the supply chain. This will create a strong, sustainable food system where both the farmer and the community benefit.
• According to the census carried out in 2019, 39 % of Kenyan youths are unemployed, the business will offer employment both directly and indirectly to the women and young people in the community.
• Kenya, has chunks of land in arid areas which are affected by climate change, the business will offer bee farming as a viable use for the land, effectively reducing the amount of unused land in the region.
• Honey bees are major pollinators and the promotion of beekeeping in the region will lead to farmers reaping increased yields. This will ensure food security in the region.
• As compared to sugar, honey is a sweetener rich in antibacterial and antioxidant properties. By providing it to the community, it supplements the community's dietary needs.
• Royal jelly improves general well-being and brain function by alleviating conditions and inconveniences related to aging, providing it in the community will lead to a healthier population.
• Propolis is a natural antibiotic. Its production will supply the local pharmaceutical industry with a raw product useful in drug creation.
• Wax is used by the cosmetic industry for its property of making skin look younger and softer. Its production will stimulate the local cosmetic industry.

We have done extensive research on beekeeping through linking with local farmers who are in beekeeping. Currently, we have interacted with 12 bee farmers. Through this, we have been able to understand their needs and their pain points. We have also linked up with local institutions that are authorities in beekeeping like Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) who have assisted us in establishing the best practices in the field of beekeeping and the best way to run the venture.

We have chosen the concept stage as it is currently an idea that we believe has the potential for much impact. However, we have recently gained traction by being allowed land of about 11.5 acres to implement our business from friends and family. Not only that, but we have also gained traction by attracting mentorship from K.C.I.C (a local N.G.O) who are helping us set up the venture. The land is in Machakos, Kenya in the Masinga village that is a semi arid area.

Our system is an application of existing technologies, but with some variations.

Firstly, our system will depend on aggregation, this is where farmers combine their products and sell their products collectively. This will tackle the problem of an unorganized market system by arranging farmers.

Secondly, our system will depend on the establishment and reliance of maps that depict bee hotspot in the country. This will be done using machine learning and geospatial technology. We will then create applications for individuals to interact with the information in real time. This will better focus our efforts and allow us to get more productivity.

Thirdly, the system will depend on a management app to run various functions in the business, e.g., training, accounting, and resource management.

• Currently, we do not have any customers as we are in the concept phase. 

OUR AIM

• To have documented the best practices in beekeeping and to have packaged the results into a teachable model by the end of the first year.
• To have trained at least 20 individuals in bee farming by the end of the second year and to have helped them establish their ventures.
• To have partnered and aggregated with at least 20 farmers by the end of the second year.
• To produce at least 1200 kilograms of honey in the first year, and to ensure that we produce 3 tonnes of honey in the subsequent years.
• To have directly offered employment to at least 5 individuals by the end of the second year.
• To have reclaimed at least 50 acres of previously unused arid and semi-arid land and to have put it into beekeeping use by the end of the second year.

• Currently, we do not have any customers as we are in the concept phase.

          OUR IMPACT GOALS

• To have documented the best practices in beekeeping and to have packaged the results into a teachable model by the end of the first year.
• To have trained at least 20 individuals in bee farming by the end of the second year, and to have helped them establish their ventures.
• To have partnered and aggregated with at least 20 farmers by the end of the second year.
• To have directly offered employment to at least 5 individuals by the end of the second year.
• To have sold to at least 100 people by the end of the third year.
• To have reclaimed at least 50 acres of previously unused arid and semi-arid land and to have put it into beekeeping use by the end of the third year.
• To have mapped out bee hotspots in Kenya by the third year.

We shall achieve the goals through constant innovation, keeping to our business plan and a close interaction with the community, which we believe will give us success.

We currently do not measure our progress. 

We shall however be measuring our impact towards our impact goals by;

• The number of farmers we have trained.
• The number of farmers we have aggregated with.
• The amount of unused land reclaimed.
• The volume of goods aggregated.
• The size of the area we have converted into usable bee hotspot maps.
• The number of families which wehave improved incomes.
• The amount of women we have made independent.
• Whether we have improvedon food security in Kenya.

• High startup costs to set up the venture may limit us. 
• Product quality assurance and regulation by us and other farmers.
• High marketing costs to get the word out of our products.
• Legal constraints such as acquiring an export license.
• Brand recognition challenges.
• Finding qualified employees.
• Need for specialized technology such as a.i critical in designing a bee population mapping system.
• Tariffs and quotas needed to access some markets may prove a challenge.

The team is led by a diverse group of individuals with a multitude of skills that can be able to bring the project to production, such as business management and accounting skills.

The team members have been brought up with an agricultural background, thereby they can empathize with farmers and be able to relate with their struggles.

The team lead consists of 2 young people and a woman who has first-hand experience of the challenges unique to each group and can thereby best be able to address those challenges.

Our team is located in Kenya where over 3 million hectares of unproductive arid and semi-arid lands meaning that the potential for expansion and the effectiveness of the project is large.

Our team also has access to 11.5acres of land to implement the project, which puts them far ahead of many other similar startups and increases the chances for success.

• Kenya Climate and Innovation Center on business setup and market viability evaluation.
•  Kenya National Beekeeping Station on research and development of business practices.
• Kenya Agricultural Rural Livestock Organization, on research and development. 

We qualify for the price as our solution supports financial and economic opportunities for all. This is because by offering affordable trainings to all viable members of the community, including women and girls, we are able to teach them a high income trade and/ or help them get more profits for their efforts by aggregating with them. This will enable financial independence and stability to the women and girls who we are able to partner with.

This will also incentivize women ownership of land and help to fight some backwards cultural beliefs on land ownership and inheritance.