Markets for bee products yet to be satisfied

(Credit: Umar Nsubuga)

APICULTURE

KAMPALA - The honeybee is an important component in human existence. Besides honey, it is also a source of beeswax, bee glue (propolis), bee venom, royal jelly as well as bee pollen.

It's without any doubt that honey is revered for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

But the local and international markets for bee products, especially honey, are still far from being satisfied, as it was revealed at a recent continental apiculture meeting hosted by Uganda.

Fredrick Luyimbazi, the commissioner of entomology at the agriculture ministry, said the door is ajar for investment opportunities in the sector.

The forum was seen to have been timely, considering that Uganda is on the path of agricultural exports diversification. And apiculture's role in diversified production with minimum investment is significantly underlined.

Fredrick Luyimbazi, the commissioner of entomology at the agriculture ministry

Local stakeholders will have left that three-day meeting with a host of dividends.

And Alice Kangave, the principal entomologist in the agriculture ministry's apiculture department agrees. She said Uganda benefited from the event because there was an opportunity for cross-interaction and resulting in greater dialogue between state and non-state actors.

‘Promoting Intra and Inter Regional Trade of Honey and Other Beehive Products in Africa'. That was the theme of the mid-July apiculture forum in Kampala.

This theme targeted triple intra-African trade as a means to address food insecurity and youth unemployment, as well as to increase incomes and economic growth.

The more than 100 delegates from African and European nations shared notes on everything bees.

The General Assembly of the African Apiculture Platform (AAP) for Honey Production, Bee Health and Pollination Services also had different activities like electing different committees.