Pauline Achieng Otila

After 13 years of experience as an employee in audit and agribusiness, Pauline dared to use the skills and experience she had gained to venture into this male-dominated industry, adopting the moniker, ‘Queen Bee’, holding a BCom-Degree and MBA-Strategic Management. In five years Pauline has managed to position Apiculture Venture Limited among the top 5 key players in the Kenyan beekeeping industry. She has been recognized among the “top 50 African Business Heroes 2023 Finalists” from Jack Ma Foundation and the “Top 5 incredible entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa advancing SDGs through their businesses” from the 2023 WE Empower UN SDG Challenge.

Established in 2018, Apiculture Venture is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering communities, tackling the challenge of food insecurity in Kenya, particularly Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. Apiculture Venture achieved this by fostering a robust beekeeping and honey value chain. The multifaceted approach directly benefits households by: Reducing food insecurity which equipped communities with the tools and knowledge to build sustainable livelihoods through beekeeping and supporting honey production as a business which provides access to markets and facilitates value addition through processing initiatives, ensuring a reliable source of income. The multifaceted approach also empowers women/youth through strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations where we champion projects that specifically engage these groups, creating a ripple of positive change.

Ultimately, Apiculture Venture champions sustainable beekeeping practices, ensuring environmental responsibility. It has established a thriving network of over 10,500 local beekeepers who form core supply base and they receive input financing from Apiculture.