Bees are one of the most interesting insects to keep. Bee keeping is a great hobby for people at the same time very rewarding an inexpensive. It is a good value and very economical. Bee keeping is a great way to venture in to livestock farming and still earn a decent income from the business while at the same time have enough supply of local honey for your family as we found out from Omar Dahir, a beekeeper from Dolo Ado Ethiopia and a father of 10 children.
Omar Dahir is one of the beneficiaries involved in beekeeping business which is organized by Regional Development Protection Program (RDPP) as one of the livelihood interventions. Dressed in his full body bee suit and armed with his hive tool and bee smoker, Omar Dahir leans back in his chair with his arms wide. He is in an empty room at Shambel Kebele in Dolo Ado but his mind is elsewhere. It is at his bee keeping station which has more or less become his sanctuary. ‘’I feel at home with my bees, I have invested my time and energy and have no other alternative other than to make it successful for the social and economic benefit of my family’’ Omar said. “I never thought that one day this activity will have such an impact in my life, I am grateful to DRC for having introduced me to this income generating venture, take the bees away and there goes my livelihood” he added. Omar’s attachment to this activity is very remarkable and it goes to the heart of what we as a project want to achieve and make a meaningful impact in the lives of our beneficiaries.
“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man” Einsten famously stated, this quote could not have been any more relevant than to Omars story.
Beekeeping is one of the world’s oldest occupations and it is an activity that was introduced by DRC Ethiopia under RDPP project in Dolo Ado in order to improve the livelihoods of the beneficiaries. It is a relatively easy activity, inexpensive after the initial investments of supplies which include the kits and it is a vastly rewarding since one can be able to enjoy their own locally made honey as well as selling for profit. Bees, apart from honey, they give other products like wax, propolis and royal jelly, besides pollinating crops.
Omar was provided with the required start up kits which include: a hive, protective clothing, a smoker, supplies, extracting equipment and bees! He was also trained on beehive management, lifecycle of bees, how to handle a bee sting as well as managing expectations and this is very important since the activity requires patience because it is difficult to harvest in the first year. “I will never forget the first bee sting, the pain was unbearable, however it comes with the territory, if you love the gains be ready to be stung by a busy bee’’ Omar said.
He took us to the bee keeping site where he felt at home and brought us to his world, it was very evident to see his happiness, finally there was an income generating activity that filled him with pride. The ability to feed his children and cater for the needs of his family with his own hands and sweat of his brow is a source of great satisfaction. His confidence in this activity comes from the easy availability of a market for his honey. Not many residents in the area are able to access natural bee products hence the promise to supply quality honeycombs and honey will be something that can fetch him good money.
The demand for honey in Dolo Ado alone cannot be exhausted. If he plays his cards right and with some support from DRC, then there is no reason for him not to make a good profit from this activity and even find a market in the cross border towns of Mandera and Doloow Somalia.
From our discussion with Omar Dahir, beekeeping is not activity for the faint of heart or one that can be ventured in to easily without the right training and mentality. It is a practice that is set in motion by the ebbs and flows of nature, it demands a great deal of energy, patience, understanding and above all adequate knowledge from the keeper. It is truly for those with the passion and a quest for love and knowledge that can succeed in this business, we are happy to note that Omar has all these qualities.
Beekeeping is an activity this newsletter is advocating for it to be replicated in the viable BORESHA sites. It is a low maintenance activity and above all very rewarding and self-sustaining. We are in the resilience business and this activity will contribute towards meeting our objective of ensuring individuals and communities are more self-reliant through increased skills and opportunities.