Another step to boost production, improve quality of local honey |30 November 2016

Local producers of honey and relevant agriculture officials are following a week-long training to improve the quality and boost production of local honey.

The organic bee-keeping internal control system (ICS) training is  in collaboration with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), an international scientific research institute based in Nairobi, Kenya that works towards improving lives and livelihoods of people in Africa.

It is being funded under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) Competitive Local Innovations for Small-Scale Agriculture (Clissa).

The training, being held at the Seychelles Fishing Authority’s training room, was officially launched on Monday morning by the Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Michael Benstrong in the presence of other key officials from the same ministry and those taking part.

The training aims to develop an ICS manual for organic bee-keeping and an action plan for organic certification for honey production in Seychelles.

Ifad/Clissa local project coordinator George Bibi, reminded everyone present that the initiative started last year with a first workshop to boost food security and improve the livelihood of small farmers  including beekeepers who recently received beehives and are also benefitting from other related initiatives to encourage honey production.

Mr Bibi said more beekeepers are to receive training during the course of December.

Elliud Muli, a scientist and Jack Juma, a specialist consultant with ICIPE,  are leading the training.

Mr Juma noted that people all over the world including Seychelles are looking for healthier foods and people always assume that honey is always healthy, choosing it over sugar and other sweeteners but a lot of honey are contaminated.

Organic bee-keeping aims to ensure good quality honey production.

“The production of quality and healthy honey starts from where we keep our bees. How we take care of  them and their apiaries, how we handle the harvesting process are all important to having a healthy product,” Mr Juma said.

He went on to stress that during the week training producers and SAA (Seychelles Agricultural Agency) officials will enhance their knowledge and skills in the whole honey production, handling and harvesting process.

“There are standard requirements for organic bee-keeping,” he added.

The world over there has been a decline in honey bee population due to  deforestation, use of chemicals in farming thus affecting crops because of fewer natural pollinators. There is also concern that these negative issues could alter the genetics of the bees thus the need to protect natural environment and habitat for bees and to as much as possible not interfere with their natural behavior,” Mr Juma said.

Mr Juma said Seychelles, with its pristine environment, has a great potential for quality honey production, thus the need to properly train people in the venture and others wishing to join.

“Bee-keeping is relatively cheap compared to other agricultural activities,” Mr Juma added.

“Bee-keeping is very specific to specific areas thus the need for the development of internal control system specific for Seychelles which would guide the whole process in the local context,” Mr Muli added.

In opening remarks Minister Benstrong highlighted the fact that local honey is highly in demand but is not readily available.

“In collaboration with our valued partners we are looking to change this. I have noted the demand and potential for local honey but that the certification will call for a premium price which people will be prepared to pay as they have become more conscious of the virtues of honey and other organic products,” said the minister.

Minister Benstrong expressed the hope that it will not take too long for Seychelles to have its own brand honey of the quality to command the organic certification.