BEE KEEPING
WHY ARE BEES IMPORTANT?
Bees are essential pollinators in our food chain. They pollinate around 400 of the worlds agricultural plants including onions, coconuts and oranges. One third of the food we eat wouldn't be available if they didn't exist!
As well as their contributions as pollinators, we also gain additional yields such as honey, wax and propolis!
Pesticides and other chemicals cause mass fatalities in bee colonies. The death of the bees can be fast or slow, the latter meaning contaminated pollen is brought back to the colony where it enters the food chain and is passed on to other species. This is why organic growing is so important and why we champion it here at the institute!
DO YOU HAVE BEES AT GPI?
Yes! We have our own apiary of 200 beehives!
We welcome students and workshop participants to learn and practice practical bee-keeping skills here at our demonstration centre.
Until now, GPI has taught 3000 farmers about bee-keeping and they are now seeing results through integrating it into their crop production.
Keeping bees has a positive effect on yields, increasing productivity and supporting healthy, good quality produce. This, combined with the sale of honey and wax that can be harvested from the hives, ensures that farmers have a significant, sustainable income whilst maintaining ecological diversity.