A Non-Governmental Organisation, Gist AGRICA, is training 60 unemployed Nigerians in bee farming.
Mrs. Ekwi Ajide, Gist AGRICA founder, said on Thursday that the workshop holding in Awka, in partnership with Medical Honey Bees Farm Nigeria, was also to create awareness on the importance of pollinators as contributors to sustainable development and to commemorate the 2021 World Bee Day with the theme “Bee engaged – Build Back Better for Bees”.
Ajide said that the World Bee Day was started in 2016 by the UN to cultivate the world’s favourite fruits and vegetables.
She said that the workshop would also handle the threats pollinators face as a result of human activities and proffer ways to ensure their survival.
Ajide said that pollinators were fundamental to the survival of the ecosystem and that was why the UN designated May 20 annually as World Bee Day.
She said that owing to the economic importance of bee-keeping all hands should be on deck to counter the threats posed by COVID-19 pandemic to food security.
She said that the participants would be exposed to the importance of bee-keeping, other uses of honey and bee products.
She said the training would also improve their standard of living and make them to contribute to the overall economic development of the state.
Earlier, Mr. Emeka Okafor, Chief Executive Officer, Majestic Honey Farm, who taught the participants the benefits and cost of commercial bee- keeping urged individuals and governments to invest in bee-keeping.
Okafor said that bee-keeping would solve the problem of unemployment if well harnessed, boost the finances of its keepers and increase the state`s internally generated revenue.
He said that there was a need to protect bees and other pollinators such as butterflies, bat and humming birds from human activities.
Okafor said that many bee species were under threat due to pesticides, climate change, intensive agriculture and changes in land use.
Mrs. Ijeoma Uche, a participant, commended the convener and described the workshop as an eye opener as she never knew that bees had such potential.
Mr. Chibuzo Okoye, another participant, collaborated Uche’s claim and promised to try out the business as he was aware that pollinators were good for the survival of the ecosystem.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop will end on May 22. (NAN)