LocationsIn the mountain pastures of Issyk-Kul, among meadows of flowering plants and clean mountain air, the women of the Issyk-Kul Bal cooperative are demonstrating every day that beekeeping is not only one of Kyrgyzstan's oldest traditions — it is also a viable and growing model for women's entrepreneurship and rural economic resilience.
Women's Entrepreneurship in Beekeeping: How the Issyk-Kul Bal Cooperative Is Changing Traditions in Kyrgyzstan
May 20, 2026
This matters because beekeeping in Kyrgyzstan has long been perceived as a "male" sector, associated with heavy physical labour, seasonal migrations, and work in remote highland areas. A persistent gender stereotype has limited women's roles to helpers at the household level rather than as independent producers, cooperative leaders, and market participants. The women of Issyk-Kul Bal are steadily dismantling that stereotype — mastering advanced production techniques, managing operations, making business decisions, and proving that rural women's entrepreneurship is both competitive and sustainable.
Women in rural Kyrgyzstan face not only stereotypes but deep structural barriers that systematically constrain their economic opportunities.
Women in rural Kyrgyzstan face not only stereotypes but deep structural barriers that systematically constrain their economic opportunities:
— Limited access to financing: only 29% of real estate and 18.5% of land plots are officially registered in women's names, severely limiting their access to collateral and credit. As a result, women account for just 27% of registered entrepreneurs in the country.
— Double burden: on average, women spend five hours and 25 minutes per day on unpaid care — for children, elderly relatives, and family members with disabilities — leaving limited time for business activity.
— Limited access to markets, modern technologies, and professional networks: this is especially acute in mountain and rural communities, where women also face barriers to specialized knowledge, equipment, property resources, and sales channels. These constraints are compounded by the unequal distribution of unpaid labour: women in Kyrgyzstan bear the primary burden of care for children, elderly family members, and persons with disabilities.
(Source: Country Analytical Review on Gender Equality in the Kyrgyz Republic)
It is precisely in this context that the story of Issyk-Kul Bal stands out — as a compelling example of what becomes possible when women are supported with knowledge, resources, and the opportunity to organise collectively.
Founded in 2019 in Karakol, the cooperative today unites 17 women beekeepers managing approximately 250 bee colonies. For most members, beekeeping has become far more than an additional source of income — it is an opportunity to build their own enterprise, strengthen economic independence, create local employment, and remain active in their home region. The cooperative is steadily expanding production and building sustainable sales channels, supplying honey to both the domestic market and to local exporters including Dary Tyan-Shanya LLC.
"For us, beekeeping is no longer a hobby or a household activity — it has become our business, a source of economic independence, and an opportunity to build a future in our home region. Before, many women did not believe they could manage beekeeping on their own. Today, we have confidence in our abilities and a clear understanding of how to develop this professionally. Kyrgyz honey is considered one of the country's most ecologically pure products — but behind every jar stands daily labour, careful management of bee colonies, seasonal migrations, and constant learning. This is especially demanding for small apiaries in regions where access to modern technologies and markets remains limited."- says Dilbara Muratova, head of the cooperative.
Dilbara Muratova, head of the cooperative
A key factor in the cooperative's development has been the introduction of modern, accessible technologies that reduce physical demands and create conditions for organic beekeeping. One such solution has been the adoption of "Ruta" wooden hive systems, widely used in commercial and organic honey production.
Natural wood provides ideal conditions for bee colonies and aligns with the principles of organic production — particularly valuable in Issyk-Kul, a region with strong potential for ecologically clean and export-oriented honey. Beyond the production benefits, the transition to Ruta hives carries a clear gender dimension: the more ergonomic and comparatively lighter design has lowered physical barriers for women, enabling them to enter beekeeping more confidently as a business. In a sector long considered "male" due to its physical demands, a change in equipment design became a practical step toward broader women's participation in production, seasonal work, and the gradual development of their own apiaries.
Equally important is the development of a professional community of women beekeepers — expanding peer exchange and mentorship programmes that allow practical knowledge and modern beekeeping methods to be passed from more experienced practitioners to those just starting out.
"Before, we had to figure out almost everything on our own, through trial and error. After the project's training sessions and expert consultations, we began to understand modern beekeeping methods much better — how to work properly with bee colonies, how to prepare them for winter, and how to gradually expand our apiaries. Today we understand that our cooperative needs to develop several directions simultaneously: commercial apiaries, organic beekeeping, and queen rearing. Queen rearing requires high precision, careful technique, and constant practice — especially when it comes to larval transfer. The Ruta hives are also far more convenient and easier to maintain, which is especially important for women beekeepers. And we can see significant potential in organic beekeeping, as demand for ecologically clean products continues to grow."- says cooperative member Maya Adybaeva.
The honey value chain development support and the Mentorship Programme are among the key components of the UNDP Aid for Trade project, funded by the Government of Finland. The project has focused on strengthening the honey value chain, building the export potential of Kyrgyz honey, and expanding women's participation in rural entrepreneurship and regional economies.
Through the project, women have gained access to professional training, expert consultations, and modern beekeeping practices — covering queen rearing, colony management techniques, disease prevention, apiary organisation, and modern farm management. For many participants, this was their first experience of structured professional training, peer exchange, and becoming part of a professional community.
At the value chain level, six MSMEs were competitively selected with the aim of increasing their production and export volumes, creating jobs, raising incomes, entering new markets, and implementing international quality management standards. An additional 120 beekeepers supplying these enterprises were also engaged in the programme to improve productivity and support job creation.
The grant mechanism supported 9 business projects in the crafts and beekeeping sector, all implemented by women entrepreneurs. Out of 31 applications received through a competitive process, 19 projects passed the final selection — 14 of them submitted by women. The total grant support reached approximately USD 41,000, including UNDP's contribution of approximately USD 34,000 and co-financing from beneficiaries of approximately USD 7,000. Support was directed at modernising production processes, introducing innovative and resource-efficient equipment, improving product quality, and expanding market access.
The project applies a comprehensive approach to impact at both institutional and local levels, supporting multiple participants across the honey value chain — including beekeeping farmers, export companies, service operators, and local authorities. Particular attention is given to the inclusion of women and people with disabilities, as well as environmental sustainability.
The story of Issyk-Kul Bal demonstrates that supporting women in rural entrepreneurship drives more than income growth and employment. Their participation broadens the very definition of what rural entrepreneurship can look like — women becoming not helpers "around the household," but full producers, managers, and market participants. For other women in the region, this creates a visible, replicable example: that it is possible to build your own business, adopt new technologies, and remain economically active in your home community.
On Kyrgyzstan's Beekeepers' Day, the story of the Issyk-Kul Bal cooperative is a reminder that women play an essential and expanding role in modern beekeeping — from preserving traditions to introducing new approaches and growing production.
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