ZVISHAVANE FARMERS’ INDABA

VENUE –SHABANI MINE ATHLETIC GROUND

DATE: 25-26 APRIL 2019

TOPIC: BEEKEEPING: AN IMPORTANT FARMING ACTIVITY

PRESENTER: ROBERT MUTISI

TEAM: WORKING FOR BEES

WORKING FOR BEES LOGO

Objectives of the seminar

1. To promote beekeeping as a viable diversification enterprise that is eco-friendly.

2. To demonstrate how beekeeping can be an important business venture.

3. To demonstrate how beekeeping can support the livelihoods of individuals, families, communities and the nation.

4. To integrating beekeeping with other farming activities.

5. To establish beekeeping using the Asset Based approach.

Introduction

1. Bees do not need us for their survival.2. Human beings need bees for their survival3. Einstein’s (2015) opinion states that “ If bees were to

come to extinction men and women will have no more than four years to live” In America Obama (2014) once declared the planting of trees to support the bees since colonies were collapsing due to lack of food.

4. Working for Bees (W-4-Bs) focuses on –Bee population, Bee health and safety, Bee fodder establishment and management and personnel training and development

Introduction continued-5. Beekeeping change people’s lives

Poverty alleviation

Training for

Enterprise

Environmental

Protection

Sharing Knowledge

Reasons for getting into Beekeeping

1. Pollination

2. Useful products

3. Land use

4. Low cost project

5. Income creation

6. Sustainability focused

7. Benefits for several sectors

Reasons continued

8. Comparative advantage

9. Resilient income

10. Gender and age inclusive

Beekeeping 1st perspective

Marketing

BusinessTechnical

Beekeeping 2nd perspective-Triple bottom line

Environment

SocialEconomic

Beekeeping: The asset based approach

Getting beekeeping greener

1. Multipurpose trees

2. Bee friendly crops

3. Reduce, recycle, re-use

4. No to veldt fires

5. No to deforestation

6. Eco-friendly products and processes

The Market Flow of Honey and flow of money

Trade to distant markets creates a flow of money to rural areas

Honey moves as follows:

Bees Beekeeper Trader Processor Packer Shop Customer.

Money moves as follows:

Customer Beekeeper (in the community)

Characteristics of local trade

1. Small volumes required

2. Low honey production levels

3. Beekeepers not motivated to increase production

4. Low product quality

5. Weak market chain

6. Unreliable local buyers who cheat at times

7. Beekeepers view local market as bad

Characteristics of distant trade

1. Informal traders play an important role

2. Very strong market chain

3. Large product volumes are required

4. High product quality required

5. Access to collection centres is important

6. Bulking of product and collective marketing

7. Real opportunities accessed in distant market-increase production and selling large volumes.

Integrating beekeeping with sunflower crop

Pollination

Bee pollinating the flower Honey from the crop

Processed honey ready for the market

BEST APIARY MODEL 1

BEST APIARY MODEL 2

END OF PRESENTATION

NO TREES NO BEES- NO BEES NO HONEY- NO HONEY NO MONEY- NO MONEY NO

DEVELOPMENT AND POOR WELL-BEING

CARING FOR A BEE MEANS CARING FOR YOUR LIFE

“God created the honey bee.... And the devil made the wasp”

I THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING