Maintaining and developing beekeeping in the Maghreb countries is the objective of a new project launched by the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) sub-regional office for North Africa, on the occasion of World Bee Day (May 20). Launched in collaboration with the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), the project aims to support stakeholders in member countries to develop and promote beekeeping as a profitable economic activity, while focusing on sustainable practices and biodiversity conservation, the FAO Sub-regional Office for North Africa announced Monday. With a budget of nearly US$500,000 to strengthen the contribution of beekeeping to biodiversity and rural economies, the project will be implemented in collaboration with the five Ministries of Agriculture of the North African countries. It will provide technical assistance to institutions involved in the sector, as well as beekeeping organisations, to improve practices, enhance beekeepers’ capacities, facilitate access to markets for beekeeping products, and promote their marketing, the same source added. The project will also provide an opportunity to work on the institutional framework and the establishment of a coherent strategy for the development of sustainable beekeeping in North Africa, it said. Bees are an integral part of our environment, which they shape and maintain, it was recalled. Their foraging plays a crucial role in the pollination of plants and ensures the reproduction of many plant species, not to mention their impact on the preservation of ecosystems, it was added. “Beekeeping is a subtle alliance between man and bee. It is more than an economic activity. Beekeeping is a symbol of fertility, prosperity and sustainability,” said Philippe Ankers, FAO Coordinator for North Africa and Representative for Tunisia. “For centuries, our ancestors have maintained a harmonious relationship with bees, aware of the benefits they bring to our ecosystems and to society,” he added. “And North Africa, with its diversity of climates, flora and landscapes, offers a favourable environment for the development of beekeeping. From Mauritania to Libya, through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, the region is rich in natural resources that support the life of bees and promote the production of honey and other bee products of exceptional quality,” he said. “North Africa is the cradle of beekeeping, which has been a widespread activity for generations. This sector, which is a priority for rural development, has experienced fluctuations in recent years in terms of the total number of hives and production,” said Mohammed Bengoumi, Animal Production and Health Officer in the FAO Office for North Africa. “Honey production in Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia was estimated in 2020 at 5,376, 764, 8,334 and 3,645 tonnes of honey, respectively, (FAO, 2021),” he said. “In addition to the products of the hive, namely honey, royal jelly, wax, propolis, bee venom, etc., the beekeeping sector is seeing the emergence of new products and services related to beekeeping activities, which represent opportunities for the creation of new job niches and new sources of income,” he said.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse