Bees for Development is an international charity [1] [2] [3] specialising in work to alleviate poverty through beekeeping. Beekeeping contributes to supporting sustainable livelihoods [4] in poor and remote communities and honey bees provide an essential ecosystem service [5]. Offices are based in Monmouth, South Wales. BfD runs projects in Uganda, Zanzibar, Ethiopia and Kyrgyzstan.
History and Philosophy edit
Founded in 1993, Bees for Development works in partnership with beekeepers and international organisations, such as Apimondia, Keystone Foundation [6] and FAO. The organisation aims to support beekeeping in order to help poor and remote communities and to protect biodiversity[7]. The organisation focuses on the use of appropriate technology, values and respects local skills, and believes self-reliance and empowerment of the poor can be enhanced through access to knowledge and information and through trade in bee products. The Charity Bees for Development Trust was set up in 1999 and is governed by a Board of Trustees and supported by Patrons, Monty Don, Martha Kearney, Tom Seeley [8], Bill Turnbull and Sting.
Objectives edit
Bees for Development states its aims to be:
Objectives: -
- Beekeepers are connected and supported all over the world within our network of experts, specialists and keepers of knowledge
- The capacity of beekeeper organisations is built in developing countries, enabling them to represent their members and deliver services
- Beekeepers are helped to access to fair and reliable markets so they can achieve sustainable livelihoods
- Policy is developed so the contribution of beekeeping to biodiversity, healthy bees and thriving markets is recognized and supported
- Knowledge and understanding about sustainable apiculture – the science, the theory, the practice – is generated through research and sharing lesson learned[9]
Activities edit
The Bees for Development Journal [10] is produced quarterly and focuses on appropriate beekeeping technologies, sharing lessons learnt in different countries and includes up to date information about beekeeping worldwide. The Uganda Honey Trade Project works with local beekeepers associations, including ApiTrade Africa [11], helping raise incomes through strengthening honey trade. In Zanzibar Bees for Development is implementing a partnership project with a Danish NGO, DANTAN, focussing on boosting the honey industry on Unguja and Pemba. In Kyrgyzstan, funding from the Darwin Initiative [12] has been secured and Bees for Development is working with the Rural Development Foundation [13] to assist beekeepers achieve rights of access to pasture lands for beekeeping. Bees for Development also disseminates training resources worldwide, manages an on-line library [14] of beekeeping information and organises beekeeping safaris [15] to Trinidad and Tobago and Turkey.
References edit
- ^ http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/SearchMatchList.aspx2
- ^ American Bee Journal. October 2011. Pages 981-985
- ^ Why I Keep Bees by Martha Kearney. Country Life magazine November 2011.
- ^ http://www.ids.ac.uk/publication/sustainable-rural-livelihoods-a-framework-for-analysis
- ^ http://www.esd.ornl.gov/benefits_conference/nature_paper.pdf
- ^ http://keystone-foundation.org/networks/our-partners/
- ^ http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/what-we-do/why-support-beekeeping
- ^ http://www.nbb.cornell.edu/seeley.shtml
- ^ http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/what-we-do
- ^ http://www.apimondia.com/en/activities/scientific-commissions/rural-development
- ^ http://www.apitradeafrica.org/
- ^ http://darwin.defra.gov.uk/about/
- ^ http://www.rdf.in.kg/
- ^ http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/portal/
- ^ http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/how-to-help/safaris