Last news

BUSINESS

Butterlies, a business lost between Malindi and Watamu

Pandemic left 50k people jobless near Arabuko Sokoke Forest

28-02-2021 by Leni Frau

There is a business in the undergrowth between Malindi and Watamu that in recent years has provided work for over 50,000 people and their families. Something that in the land of fruits, fishing and tourist activities you would not expect, but that draws on a great resource and potential that develops around the endemic Arabuko Sokoke forest.
We are talking about butterfly breeding for export, which the pandemic stopped after years of expansion and the creation of several local farms, some linked to cooperatives and village communities. It is no coincidence that this resource is called "Arabuko's flying gold".
A year ago, the European market banned the import of insects from non-Schengen countries and so an economic machine aimed at the foreign market suddenly came to a standstill, jeopardising many salaries on which the livelihood of entire families and school fees for many children depend.
Speaking to the media some time ago, researcher Hussein Aden, who also coordinates the Kipepeo Butterfly project in the area of the Gede ruins, confirmed that the local population depends heavily on butterfly breeding, as well as on tourism, which remains the activity that provides the most employment and is obviously also in crisis.
"Suddenly for the butterfly farmers and its industry," said Aden, "everything has changed completely, leaving thousands of people in despair because they cannot feed their families and educate their children. It was hoped that the commercial blockade related to the pandemic would last only a few months, but after a year there has been almost no recovery at all," he said.
The butterfly breeders earn up to €4 000 a year, which on the Kenyan coast is a handsome salary, from selling the colourful and distinctive species they are able to breed. Usually a particular worm can cost as much as 100 shillings, while there are rare species in great demand of which the Arabuko forest is one of the few homes.
The butterflies are taken to exhibition centres and museums, but also kept free in the gardens of urban areas, to create atmosphere with their beauty. They are also purchased by private individuals for their estates and fine villas.
The United Kingdom and the United States are the best markets for Kenyans, but as of 5 March 2020, everything is at a standstill.
This is a toyal loss of about $18 million per year.

 

TAGS: farfalle kenyaarabuko sokokeesportazioni kenya

A leopard roams the Arabuko Sokoke forest, the vast green patch that stretches from Mida Creek to the road...

READ THE ARTICLE

The Arabuko-Sokoke forest, which extends between the hinterland of Malindi and that of Watamu and Kilifi, has been included in the...

READ ALL THE ARTICLE

by redazione

by redazione

The Arabuko Sokoke forest is one of the most important and extensive green lungs on the Kenyan...

READ THE ARTICLE

Though very difficult to spot, another wild animal is to be counted among the roster of those that...

READ ALL THE ARTICLE

The Mijikenda tribes call it 'Khadzonzo', a word that refers to their mottled coat, and it is the true...

READ ALL THE ARTICLE

by Freddie del Curatolo

The Swahili call it 'Nunga', while for the Giriama of the coast it is 'Harake', perhaps because it is adept...

READ ALL THE ARTICLE

Twenty km before Malindi, after Chumani and Matsangoni villages, you will find Mida creek, covered with forests of mangroves, plants whose roots grow in the salt water. At Mida extremely rare birds are present, like the african fish eagle, the...

READ ALL

Watamu carried its name high as the world's offshore fishing destination by representing Kenya in the...

READ THE ARTICLE

The Kilifi County Government is once again focusing on Italian tourism.
In this...

READ ALL THE ARTICLE

by redazione

Not always the bad news they bring as many, sometimes it rains in the dry and not wet. The inevitable progress that is also coming in the coastal tourist towns of Malindi and Watamu, with its problems of deforestation to...

READ ALL

Malindi fifth destination in the world to be discovered in 2017, according to the US site of bureaucratic information (visas and permits) ivisa.com, frequented by readers around the world. (See here the original link https://www.ivisa.com/visa-blog/top-11-undiscovered-destinations-for-2017)
 

READ ALL THE REVIEW