Rwanda’s bee population is experiencing a crisis with a dramatic decline due to the extensive use of imported synthetic pesticides. This troubling trajectory poses a direct risk to the nation’s agricultural productivity. Bees are instrumental for the pollination of many important crops in our nation. Beekeepers, especially those oriented around beekeeping cooperatives or peer agricultural marketplaces, have experienced losses from these disasters that they say threaten their livelihoods and the ecosystem.
The impact of pesticide use is devastating on beekeepers, particularly Jeanne Nyirandahimana. She’s a committed member of a women’s cooperative that is starting to feel this effects deeply. She noted that her median earnings have fallen off a cliff. They dropped from approximately 250,000 Rwandan francs (around $178) per season to a mere 30,000 Rwandan francs ($21). For the agricultural sector, it is a life or death situation. It is the source of 30% of Rwanda’s GDP and 70% of its jobs, yet it has become increasingly reliant on toxic and hazardous chemicals.
The Role of Pesticides in Bee Mortality
Today, Rwandan farmers largely use imported synthetic pesticides, shown to cause mass bee deaths across the globe. Unfortunately, this is the state of things throughout East Africa. Countries like Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya are experiencing a rapid increase in bee mortality as a byproduct of the uncontrolled use of pesticides. Foodwatch’s recent study revealed some startling findings. In fact, over 60 percent of the food that goes from Rwanda to the EU has residues of “highly hazardous” pesticides banned in Europe.
And as local beekeepers are all too aware, they are already seeing the detrimental effects firsthand. Joseph Ruzigana, a beekeeper from Muhanga district, described waking up to find all the bees in his 20 newly constructed beehives dead. He lamented the loss, stating, “Fellow beekeepers have lost plenty of bees to these dangerous pesticides.”
Pesticide use, particularly with pesticides such as Rocket that contains profenofos, a chemical so toxic to bees that it far exceeds accepted toxicity levels. In a 2022 study conducted at Turkey’s Ondokuz Mayis University, nearly 72% of farmers used this toxic pesticide. Ruzigana summarized the dire state of affairs: “It looks like we won’t get any honey this season.”
Economic Consequences for Beekeepers
The rapidly declining bee population has deep economic impacts on those who rely on honey production. Ruzigana described the ways his family’s health depended on his successful beekeeping business. “I used to get up to 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of honey from one beehive in a month-long season. My family was well taken care of, but all that has collapsed,” he said.
“Without bees, there is nothing.” It is pesticides like Rocket killing our bees. Every day we find many bees dead on roofs and some die in beehives,” she stated. The drop in bee colonies is putting pressure on honey production. It threatens important crops including coffee, tea, avocados, mangoes, beans, and tomatoes.
Potential Solutions and Future Outlook
Fortunately, the Rwandan government has admitted that this is a problem and is committed to solving it. Jean Claude Izamuhaye, head of crop production at the Rwanda Agricultural Board, confirmed that efforts are underway to address the problem. “They are our natural pollinators, and it is of critical importance that [bees] are saved,” he remarked.
Coincidentally, Rwanda happens to be a great place to grow pyrethrum — a flower used to produce natural pesticides. The country is at the moment exporting all its liquid pyrethrum instead of using it for local manufacturing. This dependence on foreign pesticides worsens the current epidemic.
Besides pesticide usage, the increasing climate change impacts—like longer rainy seasons—force beekeepers to adapt on the ground in Rwanda. The country has made significant strides in achieving food security through the increased production of maize and rice. The risk posed by pesticides endangers the fragile agricultural ecosystem we hope to protect.
