FG, AU-IBAR, Collaborate On Apiculture Development

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with AUIBAR has launched the National Apiculture Platform (NAP).

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, congratulated promoters of the NAP, noting that the ministry has now placed a national road map on Apiculture and bee keeping as part of the Federal Government’s Agricultural Promotions Programme (APP).

According to him” Apiculture has been ignored for too long because it seemed not worthy, abandoned to the aging, with young people not finding it attractive of the  many constraints, such as access to finance, low yield, and apparent lack of interest by the larger society.”

Ogbe said that any nation that imports everything and hopes to survive is day dreaming, stating that the import bill on honey in this country is huge and same goes to tomato paste, sugar, milk.

He said they are trying to reform the bank of agriculture so that it can grant credit  to bee farmers to be able to carry on with their farming and produce more honey.

He also informed the public that the Bees importation Act of 2004 is being reviewed by the National Assembly to protect and strengthen local apiculture/Bee Keeping Industry.  AU-IBAR representative, Dr.

Simplice Nouala, said with the organisation’s vision of seeing animal resources contribute to the reduction of poverty and hunger he is positive that Africa and the bee farmers will improve.