Stephen Kimani, a Murang’a farmer and director of Bella Farm Africa, has trained himself in novel ways of using bees and bee venom to treat human illnesses, launching one of Kenya’s first professional apitherapy practices.

“I jumped into bee venom farming after studying the potential it holds for natural and sustainable human healthcare in Romania,” said Stephen.

Beekeepers are now developing traditional honey harvesting to tap into the growing market for bee venom. Also known as apitoxin, bee venom is gaining popularity for its medicinal potential due to its rich mix of bioactive compounds.

Research has shown apitoxin can significantly reduce inflammation and pain, while also exhibiting promising antibacterial effects against resistant strains like MRSA.

Although clinical safety and effectiveness in humans remain under investigation, Stephen said apitherapy is administered to treat a range of medical conditions such as arthritis, migraines, asthma, and numbness.

“Apitoxin stimulates healing in the body. We introduce it to the market in a safe and professional manner. The benefits are countless,” he said.

The therapy is administered through two main techniques. The first is bee sting therapy, which Stephen said is effective for arthritis, migraines, asthma, and numbness.

“A bee is carefully picked up using tweezers, then placed on the targeted area — often where the pain or inflammation is. The bee is then encouraged to sting. You leave the stinger for a few minutes, then remove it,” said Stephen.

The second process is through venom injections. Using a bee venom collector machine, small electrical currents stimulate the bees to release venom onto a glass plate. The venom quickly dries into a fine powder, which can be processed into injectables or mixed into honey syrups.

“After collecting the venom, I dilute it to a specific concentration using saline or water. I later use it for injections,” said Stephen. “This form of administration is great for detoxification and boosting immunity.”

He said this process should only be done by a qualified therapist to ensure the correct dosage is used for each patient.

The therapy does have side effects. “We first test for allergies, and those with low blood pressure or a history of anaphylaxis cannot undergo the treatment. Itchiness after administration is common, but we provide oil and massage techniques to ease that,” he said.

The business has faced challenges. Stephen said that convincing patients of the viability of bee venom therapy has taken persistence. But, he said, “People are embracing the therapy. I have countless testimonials from people who have benefited. Conditions that had resisted conventional medicine have responded well to bee venom.”

Read Also:

Embu farmer earns Sh350,000 a month for bee venom ‘white gold’

Uganda farmers kill coffee-eating beetle with alcohol traps

Savannah Honey launches beekeeping drive, contracting 7,000 farmers across Kenya

To protect the bees, Stephen said he harvests venom only from older bees — usually those expelled from the colony — to preserve younger generations and maintain colony health.

Stephen invested over Sh1 million to set up the business. “Although it is a little expensive to get into this business, it was worth taking the risk. The bee venom collectors alone cost between Sh80,000 and Sh120,000,” he said.