More than two hundred farmers from different parts of the state are currently participating in a three-day capacity building workshop on Beekeeping in Awka.
The training organized by the State Government and the Apicultural Society of Nigeria was aimed at opening the Bee Kee8 market value chain in the state agricultural development.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export, Mr. Afam Mbanefo represented by the State Agriculture Development Programme Manager, ADP, Mr. Jude Nwankwo restated the State Government determination to opening up all agricultural value chains to create employment, generate revenue and strongly register Anambra as an agricultural base for the country.
The Coordinator, Apicultural Society of Nigeria, APIS-Nigeria, Anambra State Chapter, Chief Christopher Enwelibe expressed optimism that when fully maximized, Beekeeping will grant more youths the opportunity of being self reliant as beekeeping is not capital intensive.
A Consultant Apiculturist and Deputy National Coordinator, APIS-Nigeria, South East, Chief Victor Obi who was also a resource person at the event underlined the importance and need for farmers in the South East Nigeria to enter into beekeeping.
One of the important issues that were topical at the workshop is the three years process of converting from inorganic bee farming to organic especially for those who have started farming already.
However, the return on investment for total organic bee farming was also a concern where one of the resource persons, a Professor of Food and Nutrition Security, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nkiru T-Meludu, explained that organic farming is much cheaper and its market is growing on a rapid speed.
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