The rate of unemployment among youths in Nigeria is growing at an alarming rate. Most youths prefer to settle for white collar jobs rather than work in agriculture. Agriculture is usually seen as something that poor and rural people do. There is an urgent need for reorientation and building Nigerian youths’ capacity towards the agriculture sector, which currently contributes 40% to Nigeria’s gross domestic product.
Currently, productive African agriculture is facing re-prioritisation; there is a need to intensify production systems and at the same time adapt to climate and environmental changes through continuous innovation. Education and capacity building is the key to better investment of current and future resources.
Agriculture is not just about cultivating crops and keeping livestock; it has apiculture, or beekeeping, under its wing as well. Apiculture has long been associated with poor rural farmers but its financial and nutritional benefits are unknown to many.
Most young people have little or no skills in beekeeping. They are not aware of the amazing job opportunities in the sector and how much money they could make for themselves. They are also not aware of the nutritious value of honey and other products that result from beekeeping that can be of immense benefit. At the same time there is high demand for pure, unadulterated honey in Nigeria. There is a big gap in the market in Nigeria and this can be filled by unemployed youths.
Jorafarm and Associates, a Nigerian organization, have been organizing free seminars and workshops for people interested in apiculture. Through capacity building in apiculture, Jorafarm and Associates hope to reveal to young people, women farmers and retirees how they can make money from apiculture and be financially stable with minimal investment. They believe that through capacity building, there will be a significant reduction in poverty and social vices amongst young people, as this aspect of agriculture requires very little effort, and allows for time to focus on other activities.
Jorafarm and Associates started in 2005 and has mainly been involved in apiculture. Seminars and workshops are organized for students at the Obafemi Awolowo University and its environs in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The initiative started with training two youths, and since then, over 30 youths have been trained in beekeeping. The organization currently receives resource material from Bees for Development, UK, an independent organization supporting beekeepers in developing countries.
During the training in Nigeria, the youths undergo a two week introductory course in ’Getting started in beekeeping: the important things to note’. After this, they undergo intensive practical training in the construction, siting, baiting, inspection of hives, harvesting and processing of honey from top bar hives. They have a minimum of 10 practical sessions and are allowed to participate in the harvesting and processing of honey. As a gift to each trainee, Jorafarm and Associates gives a complete bee suit.
Having gained the necessary skills, the trainees need a very little amount to invest in their own beekeeping business. Apiculture is very investment friendly in the sense that there are no daily costs. It requires no feed for the bees, no machinery cost, and no herbicides. The only major duty required is the inspection of the hives, which is carried out twice a week. Harvesting is usually carried out twice a year.
With an initial investment of 6,000 naira (less than US$ 40) in making a hive, a total sales of 20,000 naira (about US$ 126) can be made after the first harvest from a minimum of 10 litres of honey per hive. This amounts to 333.3 % returns on initial investment. The hives can last a minimum of 10 years, thus making beekeeping a source of sustainable and continuous income.
Apart from the massive profit made, biodiversity conservation is also promoted because the bees are not killed during harvesting, they pollinate crops and planting of tress is also encouraged. Also, the consumption of pure honey helps to build peoples’ immune systems due to the therapeutic value of honey and its high nutritious value.
Jorafarm and Associates says a big thank you to Bees for Development for the resource materials and support. We would also like to acknowledge the support that betterplace.org has offered to us through Mr Idowu Atoloye of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Blogpost by Akande Ayoade A., project manager of Jorafarm and Associates.
Blogpost edited by Marta Millere (Bioversity International
Picture courtesy Jorafarm and Associates
