By: Kebba Ansu
The Large-Scale Eco-system -Based Adaptation and Protection (EBA) has paid over twelve million dalasis (D12m) to thirty (30) established Beekeeping Enterprises across the country and the moneys used by to buy Beekeeping equipment, beekeeping tools, bee hives and beekeeping gears.
Basainey Jammeh, Business Enterprise Strategist at EBA made this disclosure at the opening of the 3rd Edition of the National Forestry Trade Fair 2021 that brought together over 200 participants drawn from five regions of the country to the annual event.
According to him, Large-Scale Eco-system -Based Adaptation Protection (EBA) has undertaken several studies since 2018, disclosing that these studies were conducted to understand the landscape of the country’s natural resources as well as to map out potential for enterprise development especially in the area of beekeeping.
“So far, we have managed to establish thirty (30) beekeeping enterprises that went through market analysis and development process before formulating with them the enterprise development plan. This enterprise development plans have captured the financial requirements that are needed to operationalise these businesses,” Jammeh revealed.
He added: “The sum amount of the capital requirement for each of these enterprises is three hundred and fifty thousand dalasi (D350, 000). These comprise of beekeeping equipment’s, bee hives, beekeeing tools and gears that beekeepers put on during their activities.”
According to him, the thirty (30) communities working with EBA has benefitted twelve million dalasis (D12m) towards the establishment of their various enterprises, noting that this expenditure excludes the expenses on the Market Analysis and Development (MA&D), capacity building among others.
Jammeh further disclosed that in order expand and commercial beekeeping in the country EBA has hire the services of a specialized local based beekeeping organisation to train the teeming number of beekeepers in the country, adding that this specialised organisation have the expertise to offer the training.
“We are also working with additional thirty communities and their enterprise development draft version has already been completed and once adopted their procurement will start. Our main purpose of participating in this trade fair is to support the enterprises that we have helped to established in beekeeping,” he said.
Jammeh also said, this will also help them connected with their producers, help them to share knowledge and experiences and create the markets for their products.
According to him, since the coming of EBA, forestry management dynamics have drastically change, stating that forest management and protection for sustainable livelihood has now taken precedence over wanton destruction of the forest and ecosystem.
He also revealed that this year EBA hopes to work with one thousand (1000) farmers across all regions of the country who will be given plants to grow on their farmer, adding that this will add more value to the farmers for they can gain income from both their crops and the fruit plants.
