In its quest to accelerate the growth and development of beekeepers in the province, the MEC for Agricultire and Rural Development in the North West Desbo Mohono has officially launched the North West Province Beekeepers Association (NWPBA) last Friday, 19 May 2023 during the Provincial World Bee Day celebration event held in Luka Village near Rusternburg.
Themed: “BEE ENGAGED: Celebrating the diversity of bees and beekeeping systems”, this
year’s event was aimed at heightening awareness about the influence of the bee economy
and to enhance the participation of rural women and young people in the apiculture
sector.
The launched association which is represented in the South African Beekeepers Industry
Organisation and the Honey Judges and Guild of South Africa as adjudicating team (HJT),
is expected to also tackle challenges such as market access that are faced within in the
apiculture sector.
The team led by Chairperson Kenalemang Mooketsi and Secretary Nkwe Metswamere have
assumed their duties and are dedicated to elevating the provision of resources, training of
their members and offer support. “We aim to encourage the improvement and advancement of Apiculture within North West by promoting the exchange of ideas between members, the public and other institutions as well as endorse and safeguard the interests of apiarists in general by ensuring that honey, hives and other derivatives comply with standards established by government” said Kenalemang.
During her address, MEC Desbo Mohono said government is ready to assist aspirant
beekeepers’ as there is an abundance of opportunities within the sector. “Training of
beekeepers will be prioritised and intensified. We will also continue to robustly market and
position beekeeping in the province as a poverty reducing tool. Just as we are committed
to improving the fortunes of beekeepers and to advancing shared prosperity for all, so too
is our commitment to achieving a large pool of real Beekeeper’s in the entire province,”
said MEC Mohono.
Proceedings of the day were also marked by a visit to Thethe Secondary School, where an
awareness drive was executed. Learners were educated on the importance of bees, their
role in the agricultural ecosystem and monetary value. Grade twelve learner Ditiro
Selemela expressed excitement about the information they received. “We appreciate that
the department saw it fit to open our imagination to the world of bees and how we can
start sustainable businesses from them. As learners, our role is to now share what we
were taught today and share it with our communities as well as those close to us. We’ve
always known bees to be dangerous but as of now, we will take care of them and
continue to research about apiculture. Some of us here today have definitely benefited
from this session, and maybe as we start our journeys next year as young adults, we will
enter the industry as beekeepers,“ Selemela expressed.
The number of beekeepers in North West continues to rise as more people especially
youth, are showing an interest in the sector. The department’s database has grown from
five (5) in 2019 to eighty (80) beekeepers and MEC has called on all apiarists across all
four districts of the Province to register on its database.
