CAVITE Province – Highlighting the economic value of beekeeping, the Department of Agriculture bureau, Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in CALABARZON, equipped 31 farmer leaders with practical knowledge and skills thru the capability training dubbed as “Honey to Money: Training on Beekeeping” held on April 30-May 2, 2024.
Rural Improvement Club (RIC) members, Magsasaka Siyentista (MS), and personnel from Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSA) I completed the three-day training that encompassed visits to apiary sites of Profeta’s Integrated Farm (Tanza, Cavite) and Mai Kanlungan (Indang, Cavite), hands-on practice on beehive splitting and honey harvest, as well as lecture-workshops held at ATI CALABARZON Training Hall (Trece Martires City).
“Zero knowledge po ako sa beekeeping bago magsimula ang training, pero ngayon po marami po akong natutunan. Talagang ang beekeeping po ay p’wedeng pagkakitaan dahil madami [na products] ang p’wede pong magawa sa honey at sa hive ng stingless bee,” said one of the completers Jenalyn Mendoza from Adorres Farm.
The said training was facilitated by the Information Services Section (ISS), in collaboration with Cavite State University’s Bee Research, Innovation, Trade, and Extension (BRITE) Center. Dir. Michele Bono and Dr. Dickson Dimero of BRITE Center served as resource persons.
Topics covered include bee experiences of the adopters, bee biology, introduction to stingless beekeeping, issues and concerns in beekeeping, common pests and diseases of the bees, economics of beekeeping, and bee product development and marketing strategies.
Beekeeping, or apiculture, has been seen as a sustainable livelihood opportunity for farmers in both rural and urban areas – promising significant income from products derived from it such as honey, beeswax, propolis, and royal jelly.
News by: Archie Linsasagin
