Stakeholder Urges Youth To Embrace Bee-Keeping

An agriculturist, Ude Frank-Orji, has urged Nigerians, especially the youths, to embrace commercial bee-keeping to reduce unemployment in the country.

Orji told The Tide  recently in Abakaliki, that the country was blessed with abundant forests which could support bee-keeping.

“Bee keeping generates income for individuals and create jobs, as it involves less risks and finances to operate.

“In advanced countries, several industries are involved in this venture to produce honey used for medicinal purposes and other industrial uses.

“The government at all levels should take advantage of the abundance of forests and bushes in the country, for overall agricultural and economical growth,” he said.

Orji said that with adequate resources and enabling environment, he would train youths in his area and the state in the art of bee-keeping.

“With the little resources available to me, I have ventured into local production of facilities and equipment used in commercial bee-keeping, “ he said.

According to him, scientific research had shown that bees pollinate 80 per cent of flowers worldwide.

“We therefore need them in abundance to pollinate food and cash crops, as without this, the quantity and quality of food production will be abysmally low,” he said.

The agriculturist noted that the first to bee-keeping was to erase the fear of bee sting, which painted the ventures as dangerous.

“Prospective bee-keepers should consult experts who would guide them to adequately use available facilities to extract honey from bee-hives without being stung.

“They will also be taught the best time of the year to start keeping bees, where to keep the bees, rudiments of swarming and why bees are peaceful during the period, among others.

“They will also be guided on the best direction to position the bees’ hive face, the best plants and flowers for bees to produce good honey,” he said.