The training organized by West Africa Trade & Investment Hub (Trade Hub) in partnership with West Africa Biodiversity and Low Emissions Development project (WABiLED) is expected to empower small-scale farmers, regardless of the crop they farm, to realize the benefit they stand to reap when they double as beekeepers. Farmers are also charged to take advantage of the local and worldwide demand for products made through beekeeping.

 At the organizational level, the project is aimed at creating a starting point to encourage non-governmental organizations and agribusinesses that work with West African farmers, to gain more insight into beekeeping. Recognized organisations in the beekeeping industry in West Africa include: Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF), Koster Keunen, and Burt’s Bees. Officials from these bodies also provided expert advice regarding some of the challenges and best practices to consider when launching beekeeping initiatives.

According to WABiLED’s Biodiversity Conservation Specialist, Nouhou Ndam, beekeeping is identified as a locally appropriate income-generating activity. He shared some of the “endless” economic and environmental benefits of supporting West African farmers to learn beekeeping.

The Liberia-based Universal Outreach Foundation (UOF), has been operating beekeeping training programs for 9 years. It has developed a recognized product under the brand name “Liberia Pure Honey”. The UFO buys honey directly from the farmers it supports for its product. The branded honey is sold all over Liberia enhancing local-based economic activity. The joint initiative, over the years, has allowed Liberian beekeepers to visit their counterparts in Cote d’Ivoire where they shared skills and practices.

On availability of market for the beekeeping products, Ndam notes that organizations like the UOF guarantees to buy honey produced for 17.5 US Dollars per gallon. Ndam argues that with training on best farm practices, subsistence farmers are projected to produce up to eight gallons of honey every year.

Moreover, a West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change (WA BiCC) case study that examined the impact of UOF’s beekeeping initiative found that farmers could generate approximately $87.50 per year in income from a single beehive.

Another study conducted by ‘Facts and Factors Marketing Research’ showed that the global honey market alone is estimated at 8 billion U.S Dollars and is expected to grow to 10.8 billion U.S Dollars by 2026. Apart from honey, beekeeping generates several income streams providing beeswax, pollen, and other substances used in cosmetics and healthcare products.

Beekeeping facilitates sustainable livelihood and job creation for local communities in the sub region. The activity acts as incentives for the conservation of protected areas and community forests. In West Africa, women make up to 38% of beekeepers providing an opportunity to empower women.

There are, as well, future plans for the beekeeping industry in West Africa. WABiLED in collaboration with other partners will issue grants for non-timbre forest products (NTFPs) producers and other Corporate Social Organisations that support beekeeping in transboundary forests.

WABiLED, will also engage a full-time green enterprise specialist to scale up and expand the beekeeping model in the sub-region. Also, to further promote West African honey, WABiLED would recruit a private sector engagement specialist to help identify more market linkages for beekeepers on local and regional levels.

Sharing her success story, Waiba, a local farmer and benefactor of the training programme, says that in 2020, she harvested 41kg of honey and 5kg of beewax with 8 hives. Yet, with the training she received on best practices in beekeeping through Koster Kuenen, her yields improved to 100kg of honey and 10kg of beewax and hopes to further improve in the coming years.

SOURCE: WEST AFRICA TRADE & INVESTMENT HUB