Why Beekeeping?
Apiculture is a fantastic vehicle to drive away the effects of global poverty. It has the ability to positively impact socio-economic development across a number of sectors and can be achieved on a sustainable basis with genuine long term benefits.
Beekeeping is based within agriculture, yet it also gives benefit to gender equality, economic freedom, food security, sustainable development, prevents deforestation, urbanisation of communities, and malnutrition problems. Beekeeping helps in the alleviation poverty on a global scale, done on sustainable development for medium and long term gains. The way in which beekeeping is implemented is of prime importance, but if implemented correctly the advantages are wide reaching and based on long term results.
Beekeeping leads to small business development, financial independence and helps greatly in gender equality and empowering of women. Beekeeping is easily taught to a wide range of ages, helping youth with their first forms of income, all the way to old men practicing a hobby on a retired basis.
Beekeeping done in a decent sized scale is a perfect small to medium business enterprise. Private sector development is key to lifting people above the poverty line and beekeeping is a primary source income which can be developed into a business with entrepreneurial development and incubation.
Beekeeping helps in agricultural productivity, which in turn helps countries feed their people. Investing in beekeeping, and more specifically in people within the beekeeping industry helps agriculture in a wide range of sectors. Beekeeping is a perfect for private sector driven agricultural growth.
With beekeeping we utilise natural resources which are otherwise not used. Nectar sources from trees have a greater return with honey production than being harvested for charcoal production, and form a sustainable resource. Bees help preserve natural bio diversity and conservation.
Honey is easily sold, always in demand and available in dearth periods when other crops are not available. It’s a compact, high value product with a long shelf life that is easily transported and sold.
Beekeeping is often traditional (including the practice of honey hunting) and projects support these traditions. Many beliefs surround honey and bees and these are maintained with beekeeping, supporting other cultures and belief systems.
By investing in people through appropriate technologies, skills transfer and mentoring, we aim to sustain their own development in order to support them out of poverty or conflict.