ISLAMABAD – Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on ClimateChange Malik Amin Aslam Tuesday said Prime Minister’s 10 Billion Tree Honeyproject would generate millions of green jobs and boost untapped potentialof honey exports of the country.
Addressing the inaugural session of a one-day national workshop and theLaunching of the National Apiculture Programme or Apiculture Scaling upProgramme for Income and Rural Employment (ASPIRE), which was the country’sfirst largest honey beekeeping promotion programme, he said properbranding, sampling and international standard packaging of the honeyproduced under the 10 Billion Honey (TBH) would be ensured to attractprecious foreign exchange.
Amin said: “All experts related to the field of Apiculture are present hereto guide in devising a national streamlined programme which would be rolledout to the provinces for implementation.”
He added that the pilot project was going to be launched tomorrow(Wednesday) whereas its complete outcomes would be received by June thisyear which would help lead to full-fledged launch of TBH project.
link
The SAPM underscored that the National Bank of Pakistan was going toprovide Rs9 billion to the masses interested to join honey bee farming orApiculture programme. “The Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) has linked TBHand trees raised under 10 BTT plantation to the state-of-the-art technologydeveloped by the Ministry of Science and Technology whereas NationalVocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) will train theinterested youth on latest techniques of honey bee farming.”
He said honey bees were playing a proactive role in habitat conservationthrough increased pollination helping in enhancing plant growth andproductivity. “In the US, honeybees are kept in huge orchards not to yieldhoney rather boost crop productivity.”
The SAPM noted that the aim of the project was to protect plantation of10BTT through habitat conservation and raising economic dividends out ofplantation through honey farming.
“Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is keen in buying our TBH and has approached theMinistry for pre-booking which is propitious and will help us ensure swiftmarketing of the honey.”
link
The experts during the day-long session raised various issues faced by thehoney farmers particularly the lack of proper quality testing labs ofinternational standards, absence of any regulatory body to ensure certifiedmedicines for veterinarians treating bee diseases and education of thefarmers on latest practices and methodologies increasing honey yield.
It was also told that with a minimum loan of half a million rupees almost20 beehives could be raised that would produce 15-20 kilogrammes (kgs) ofhoney per year per hive with a retail price of Rs 1,000 per kg earning alivelihood of Rs 400,000 per year.
The experts mentioned that Apiculture Scaling up Programme for Income andRural Employment (ASPIRE) was being launched under BTH to provide alucrative business opportunity for rural youth and masses under 10BTTplantation project.