Importance of Bees and Beekeeping

Importance of Bees and Beekeeping

• Bee keeping sector has not been fully harnessed in Kenya despite its ecosystem importance to humans and environment, some of articulated importance of bee keeping includes:
• Immense benefits in terms of provision of pollinators, which enhance crop yield. It is estimated that one in every three bites of food we eat is a result of active pollination of plants in which bees play a very important part.
• Honey is a food easily digestible and also a source of natural medicine thus addressing food and nutrition security O The beekeeping industry contributes to the wider rural economy and plays an important part in the economy of arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya, where about 25% of our population live.
• Beekeeping is sustainable and environmentally friendly. It is therefore feasible and a suitable activity where people need to restore their livelihoods or create new opportunities
• Beekeeping is a family level exercise which has some distinct advantages over other agricultural activities. For instance, beekeeping requires very little financial or labour input.
• It is a flexible and gender friendly enterprise which does not compete for resources with other agricultural activities.
• Prosperity through public support for women, youth and other disadvantaged sectors
• Increased demand for bee products creating a wider market access to producers O Enhancing conservation and sustainable use of all our natural resources
• Poverty reduction through creation of jobs within the bee keeping value chain within the bee keeping value chain.