By Emelia B. Addae
Koforidua, May 21, GNA – Dr Papa Kwodwo Mbroh, the Programmes Director of Bees for Development Ghana, has highlighted nature-based beekeeping as a practical pathway for employment creation, environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation in Ghana.
He said that since Ghana continued to prioritise youth employment, climate resilience and sustainable development, nature-based beekeeping offered a low-cost, environmentally friendly and inclusive livelihood opportunity capable of transforming lives while protecting ecosystems.
Dr Mbroh said this in a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua to commemorate World Bee Day, marked annually on May 20.
He said that, unlike many livelihood activities that put pressure on natural resources, nature-based beekeeping depended on healthy ecosystems and encouraged the protection of forests, trees, water bodies, and biodiversity.
“Bees play a critical role in pollination, supporting food production, maintaining biodiversity and strengthening ecosystem health,” he stated.
Dr Mbroh indicated that Bees for Development Ghana believed investing in nature-based beekeeping could contribute significantly to addressing youth unemployment while advancing Ghana’s environmental and climate goals.
He said the sector created opportunities across the value chain, including hive construction, apiary management, honey production, processing, packaging, marketing and other bee-related enterprises.
For many rural and peri-urban communities, he said, beekeeping provided an accessible source of income that could be practised alongside farming and other economic activities without degrading the environment.
He added that the sector also created opportunities for women and young people to engage in green entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.
“As part of our commitment to environmental stewardship and community development, Bees for Development Ghana continues to promote sustainable beekeeping practices that protect bees and conserve biodiversity,” Dr Mbroh said.
He noted that through community engagement, training and initiatives such as the Afram Plains forest restoration project, the organisation was demonstrating how bees could support livelihoods while maintaining ecological balance.
He called on the government, development partners, educational institutions, the private sector and local communities to invest in, and support nature-based beekeeping initiatives as part of Ghana’s broader employment and environmental sustainability agenda.
“We are calling on the government to integrate apiculture into agricultural extension services, environmental education and climate action programmes,” he said.
He said protecting bees meant protecting biodiversity, strengthening food systems and creating sustainable opportunities for present and future generations.
“Protecting bees must be recognised as protecting our future,” he added.
GNA
Edited by D.I. Laary/Benjamin Mensah
Reported by Emelia B. Addae
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