Bee-keeping industry set to grow

Herald Correspondent

BEE-KEEPING is set to grow significantly in the country following measures that have been put in place to improve investments in bee products for export markets.

This comes as Zimbabwe has been re-elected for the regional commission presidency for Apimondia International Federation for Bee-keeping

Newly elected president for Apimondia Regional Commission Mr David Mukomana said Zimbabwe needed to take advantage of the regional re-election to grow the apiculture sector. “We need to take advantage of the regional re-election to grow the apiculture sector in Zimbabwe and start honey products exports,” he said. “We can identify the niche markets for bee product. We have seen the opportunity of bees that are resistant to diseases which Africa is endowed with to promote export markets for quality honey.”

Mr Mukomana said restructuring of the environment was required, with high commitment to protect pollinators and bees to improve food security.

“Apiculture is the key driver for economic growth and we need to improve the environmental awareness to protect our pollinators and the bees in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Bees Association of Zimbabwe coordinator Mr Chaipa Mutandwa said besides international interaction, there was need to educate people to protect pollination plants for standard conformity in the apiculture sector.

“We need to meet product satisfaction and we are encouraging awareness campaigns by bee-keepers to educate people on environmental standards required for bee-keeping,” he said. “We can manage to produce honey products which are satisfactory to penetrate global markets.”

A bee-keeper from Shamva, Mrs Kudakwashe Mutizwa, said bee-keepers were facing challenges with old traditional bee hives.

“As bee-keepers, we have been facing challenges of collaborating with other stakeholders. We need restructuring of bee hives and more artificial bee hives to grow honey production,” she said.

Mrs Selina Chitape, a honey processor, said there was need for fair trade to boost honey exportation in Zimbabwe.

“We can mobilise bee-keepers to bulk their honey for export because it is possible that Zimbabwe can export honey for global markets,” she said.