Modern Beehives.
Smallholder Prices.
Rwandan farmers earn 3–4x more honey from modern hives. We rent them for 10,000 RWF a quarter, with training in Kinyarwanda — so a smallholder beekeeper in Eastern Province can upgrade today, not in three years.
Why the Market Is Stuck
Across Eastern Province, thousands of farmers know modern hives produce more honey. Almost none can afford one. Here is why.
Traditional hives barely pay
A log, bark, or clay hive yields 5–8 kg of honey per year, destroys the colony at harvest, and produces honey that sells at the lowest market price.
Modern hives are out of reach
A KTB hive costs 60,000–80,000 RWF to buy. The average smallholder earns 50,000 RWF a month. The math does not work.
Equipment without training fails
Farmers who somehow buy a modern hive often mismanage it. No provider in Kayonza bundles equipment with practical Kinyarwanda training.
Free inputs do not stick
Decades of donor-funded handouts created no accountability. Farmers who pay — even modestly — show up, retain more, and apply what they learn.
An empty hive is an empty box
Most rental and sales models hand over wood and walk away. Colony sourcing is rarely solved. Yields stay at zero.
Honey is a national priority. Smallholders are not yet included.
Vision 2050 names honey as a priority export. The smallholders keeping bees today are mostly excluded by cost — not by skill or interest.
Rent a modern hive — 10,000 RWF/quarter
Locally built KTB hive, delivered, sited, and treated with natural attractants for swarm capture. First colony stocking included. Replacement guarantee against manufacturing defects. One re-stocking from our colony reserve fund if your colony absconds.
- Built from local timber by certified carpenters
- Sited and attractant-treated for swarm capture
- First colony stocking included
Get trained in Kinyarwanda — 5,000 RWF, one-time
Mandatory introductory training before deployment. Hive inspection, swarm management, non-destructive harvesting, post-harvest handling, and market connection. Two follow-up site visits in the first 90 days. Training is also open to non-renters.
- Groups of up to 10 participants
- Two follow-up visits in your first 90 days
- Open to non-renters
Own it in 8 quarters — 0 RWF extra
Eight on-time quarterly payments (80,000 RWF cumulative) and the hive is yours. Optional 5,000 RWF/quarter maintenance subscription after ownership — fully optional, no lock-in.
- Ownership transfer after 24 months of on-time rent
- No balloon payment, no extra fee
- Optional maintenance plan after ownership
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Quarterly rent, mandatory training, ownership in two years. No hidden fees.
Eligible for community-guarantor option — no deposit required if a cooperative leader, sector official, or church leader co-signs.
10,000 RWF
Per hive, per quarter
Modern KTB hive, delivered and sited. First colony stocking included. Manufacturing defect replacement guaranteed. One free re-stocking if your colony absconds.
5,000 RWF
Per participant, one-time
Required for every renter. Delivered in Kinyarwanda, in groups of up to 10. Bundled into your first quarter — total entry: 15,000 RWF.
0 RWF after 8 quarters
Path to ownership
Eight on-time quarterly payments and the hive transfers to you. Optional maintenance plan after ownership: 5,000 RWF/quarter, cancel anytime.
Get Started in 3 Steps
1. Contact us, or get introduced through your cooperative.
2. Sign your rental contract — with a 5,000 RWF refundable deposit, or a co-signature from a cooperative leader, sector official, or church leader. We deliberately keep this option open so the poorest farmers are not excluded by cash.
3. Receive your hive and attend your first training session — typically within 14 days.
No smartphone required. No prior modern beekeeping experience required.
Built in Rwanda 🇷🇼
Built in Eastern Province. Run by people trained for it.
BeezBaze is registered with the Rwanda Development Board (TIN 154755228) and operates from Kayonza District. Our team of three covers production, training, and business management — with credentials in Agribusiness (University of Rwanda), Carpentry and Wood Technology, and Agriculture.
Joseph Masezerano lost 6 of his 15 hives in 2023. He went back to university, finished his Bachelor's in Agribusiness, and built the rental model he wished had existed when he started. BeezBaze is the result.
Partner with BeezBaze.
We are seeking a Phase 1 funding partner to deploy 30 modern hives across Kayonza District over 6 months and produce a published Performance Report with verified yield, income, and default-rate data. If you are a grant reviewer, NGO, cooperative, or apiculture buyer interested in evidence-led rural enterprise, we would like to talk.