Published by the government of Zimbabwe
27 March 2003
Harare — THE Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) of Southern Africa will tomorrow launch the Zimbabwe Small-Scale Beekeepers' Association.
Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Francis Nhema, is expected to officiate at the official opening to be held in Harare.
The formation of the new organisation has been necessitated by the absence of a collective voice to represent the interests of over 10 000 small-scale beekeepers in the country.
ZSBA's mandate is to provide a public platform from which beekeepers can articulate the challenges they face and pursue options that will improve production.
ITDG said there was need to create a vibrant association to set up linkages between small-scale beekeepers with national and regional organisations facilitating exchange of information and experiences between small and large-scale beekeepers.
"The organisation would also look at strengthening the network between beekeepers at village level and the policy makers at national level which will increase poor producers' access to credit, training, research results, improved beekeeping technologies and markets.
"It is expected that the new organisation would be a collective voice which facilitates more effective interaction with relevant government departments and other service providers," ITDG said.
The new organisation would also give a platform for knowledge sharing on value addition of honey related products, the practice of using bees for pollination and implementing sound environmental management practices.
Apiculture, the science and art of raising bees, has largely been ignored as an agricultural activity in the country.
The potential for beekeeping for income generation is beginning to be realised and, beekeeping associations, NGOs and extension services are looking at ways of improving small-scale beekeeping by building on people's knowledge and skills.
Beekeepers are failing to supply enough honey for the local market and demand is being met by importing the sweet juice from South Africa.
The initiative that has been taken by ITDG would fill in the information gap that has existed over the years.
An International Beekeeping Symposium held in the country in November 1999, which focused on beekeeping in Southern Africa, demonstrated that there is an increasing demand for information dissemination and training in improved beekeeping.
In regions such as Vumba near Mutare where rural people have been given assistance, the production and processing of quality honey and other bee products has dramatically increased and yet, demand generally is still greater than available supply.
Efficient information dissemination would not only see increased honey production but also save the environment.
Apiculture has a saving effect on the environment since the beekeepers would avoid the cutting down of trees as well as avoiding veldt fires.
Players in the industry have projected that the assistance from the associations, NGOs and Government would speed up the growth of apiculture and it would not be long before it started competing with other industries.Business Reporter
THE Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) of Southern Africa will tomorrow launch the Zimbabwe Small-Scale Beekeepers' Association.
Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Francis Nhema, is expected to officiate at the official opening to be held in Harare.
The formation of the new organisation has been necessitated by the absence of a collective voice to represent the interests of over 10 000 small-scale beekeepers in the country.
ZSBA's mandate is to provide a public platform from which beekeepers can articulate the challenges they face and pursue options that will improve production.
ITDG said there was need to create a vibrant association to set up linkages between small-scale beekeepers with national and regional organisations facilitating exchange of information and experiences between small and large-scale beekeepers.
"The organisation would also look at strengthening the network between beekeepers at village level and the policy makers at national level which will increase poor producers' access to credit, training, research results, improved beekeeping technologies and markets.
"It is expected that the new organisation would be a collective voice which facilitates more effective interaction with relevant government departments and other service providers," ITDG said.
The new organisation would also give a platform for knowledge sharing on value addition of honey related products, the practice of using bees for pollination and implementing sound environmental management practices.
Apiculture, the science and art of raising bees, has largely been ignored as an agricultural activity in the country.
The potential for beekeeping for income generation is beginning to be realised and, beekeeping associations, NGOs and extension services are looking at ways of improving small-scale beekeeping by building on people's knowledge and skills.
Beekeepers are failing to supply enough honey for the local market and demand is being met by importing the sweet juice from South Africa.
The initiative that has been taken by ITDG would fill in the information gap that has existed over the years.
An International Beekeeping Symposium held in the country in November 1999, which focused on beekeeping in Southern Africa, demonstrated that there is an increasing demand for information dissemination and training in improved beekeeping.
In regions such as Vumba near Mutare where rural people have been given assistance, the production and processing of quality honey and other bee products has dramatically increased and yet, demand generally is still greater than available supply.
Efficient information dissemination would not only see increased honey production but also save the environment.
Apiculture has a saving effect on the environment since the beekeepers would avoid the cutting down of trees as well as avoiding veldt fires.
Players in the industry have projected that the assistance from the associations, NGOs and Government would speed up the growth of apiculture and it would not be long before it started competing with other industries.
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