Farmers get training in beekeeping |23 October 2015

Training to be a beekeeper is a time consuming affair that many take seriously because you have to share a passion for something that what was once a simple hobby has become a billion-dollar business.

For some time in Seychelles, a small number of farmers have realised the important role bees can play in agricultural production and have themselves started keeping bees on their farms.

Most of them have surely been inspired by the joint International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) and Competitive Local Innovations for Small Scale Agricultural (Clissa) project called ‘Alternative livelihoods for food and income security’.

The beekeeping project is being implemented in four Indian Ocean island countries namely, Mauritius, Comores, Seychelles and Zanzibar (Tanzania) by the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (Incipe). It aims at contributing to improved food and income security of small holder farmers through the introduction of beekeeping and pollination technologies.

As part of the project’s implementation, Ifad and Incipe organised a three-day training this week for all farmers who want to venture into the beekeeping business in Seychelles.

The training, held at the Plaisance district administration office, was officially launched on Wednesday by the principal secretary for fisheries and agriculture Michel Nalletamby, in the presence of representatives from the two organisations, officials from the local agricultural sector, as well as farmers.

PS Nalletamby remarked that while smallholder farmers contribute importantly to the national food and nutrition security efforts of any state, they can also make an important contribution to the conservation of national agro-biodiversity.

“This training will encourage a new activity, a new way of making revenue, a new way to contribute to the economy of Seychelles.  We want to give a new lease of life to the agricultural sector around the island by bringing new and innovative ideas,” he said.

PS Nalletamby pointed out that some farmers around the island are already into the beekeeping business.

The project coordinator Georges Bibi said this training will help farmers gather much needed knowledge on the beekeeping industry.

“Incipe wants to ensure that honey becomes an organic business in the Indian Ocean. That is why it is being implemented in these Indian Ocean island countries,” he said, adding that they want to also penetrate the international market.

He added that in Seychelles people are just making honey for a hobby and selling it in a jar.

“People are making honey just like a hobby, they don’t have the basic knowledge to produce a mass capacity of honey or they do not have enough beehives to produce that amount of honey.  Honey is a good source of revenue, in Seychelles honey is rare and somewhat expensive, with one litre costing around R600,” Mr Bibi remarked.

He pointed out that there are about 60 beekeepers in Seychelles who are working hard to produce honey for the local market.

During the training there was also a presentation by local beekeeper Arthur Toule on how to make a beehive.