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Four new representatives of the United Nations (UN) agencies, namely: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Organization International Labor Office (ILO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), presented his credentials to Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Maison Quéau de Quinssy, this morning.
Minister Radegonde congratulated the representatives on their accreditation and, on behalf of the Government, thanked the UN agencies for the support they have provided to Seychelles over the years. Minister Radegonde affirmed Seychelles' commitment, mentioning that "As a proud member of its agencies, Seychelles remains focused and committed to engaging in different issues that are fundamental and crucial to our development."
The UN representatives praised Seychelles for its resilience and handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. They updated the Minister on the various areas of cooperation between Seychelles and their respective agencies, as well as upcoming projects and expected results. A strong cooperation, which Minister Radegonde further noted has the potential to "expand".
The UN representatives were Mr. Hubert Gijzen Regional Director and UNESCO Representative, Mr. Charles Mbuli Boliko, FAO Country Representative; Dr. Coffi Agossou, ILO Country Director; and Mr. Koffi Kouame, UNFPA Country Director; and all are present in Seychelles to participate in the annual UN Country Team Retreat, which brings together all the Heads of UN agencies. They were accompanied by Ms. Christine Umutoni, UN Resident Coordinator for Seychelles and Mauritius.
Also present during the accreditation ceremony were Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs; Ms. Amenda Padayachy, Director General for Multilateral Affairs; and other senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
On Monday, May 16, 2022, the second day of the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor continued at the International Convention Center (ICC) in Durban, South Africa, where several representatives offered inspirational ideas for #EndChildLabour.
Throughout the day there were several panel discussions with a wide variety of speakers. There is an urgency since we have 3 years left and time is running out. During this week, a commitment plan will be drawn up to achieve the goal of eradicating child labour.
Guy Ryder, Director General of the ILO, opened the first discussions of the day by highlighting the key priorities of the conference and stressing the importance of sustaining global progress in eliminating child labour.
Thulas Nxesi, Minister for Employment and Labor of South Africa, echoed those sentiments on behalf of his country. He said that South Africa fully subscribed to the ILO's human-centred approach to the future of work. “This is about social justice, about creating a prosperous future and hope for children,” he said. “That is our mission. Organizing this conference gives us the opportunity to show our commitment”.
Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, made an important announcement: the EU will invest €10 million to tackle child labor in value chains. The EU is currently working with the ILO and other international organizations to share knowledge and data and implement relevant projects. “We are taking different actions to ensure children's rights are protected,” she said. “Child labor is a complex problem with many root causes. However, there are solutions and we are very committed to finding them.”
Switching sectors, James Quincey, President and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, provided perspective on the role of the private sector in eradicating child labour. “Child labor is more prevalent in the supply chain. We are focusing on building local capacity to really address children's rights and risks, he said.
Finally, speaking on behalf of partnerships and cooperation, Anousheh Karvar, President of Alliance 8.7, called for solidarity in our "shared responsibility" to end child labour. “We know that governments alone cannot do it,” he said. “We need to engage the social partners, trade unions and CSOs, exactly what we do in Alliance 8.7, a global multi-stakeholder partnership.”
She called for a three-point approach to action: Identify child labor as a top government priority. Build national action plans with robust indicators to show progress and ultimately foster solidarity for economic and social development.
Prominent representatives spoke in the second half of the day. They focused on practical strategies, innovative solutions and knowledge sharing. All representatives spoke about working together and emphasized that we need to do better!
Child labor is an international conversation that needs to be tamed and simplified. It must be brought to the community level so that everyone understands its seriousness. The call for commitment at the international level was key in all the talks. The need for the government to guarantee fundamental rights, health and safety, adequate living wages and of course some control over working hours.
Tara Banjara, a child labor survivor, spoke about her experience. “I come from a community where child labor has been pervasive. I used to work on dangerous roads in my country. I never thought I could get an education. Not until a school was opened in my town. Today, I ask everyone to stand with me and commit to ensuring that every child is free." In support of Tara, the audience stood up and pledged with her against the elimination of child labour.
See the agenda for the next day: https://bit.ly/3wiez8H
Follow online: www.5thchildlabourconf.org
On Sunday, May 15, 2022, the 5th World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor began at the ICC in Durban in South Africa. The goal of the event is to raise awareness of child labor and accelerate progress towards its elimination. It will take place every day through Friday, May 20, 2022. The main hashtag for the event is #RaiseYourHandForKids.
Notable speakers included ministers and government officials from South Africa and beyond who opened the conference. African cultural performances, including traditional dances and a high school choir, were also on the agenda.
The event marks the first time the conference has been held in Africa, and the first time children have been included in the event's activities.
During the opening plenary session, Thato Mhlungu, 18-year-old delegate from the Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament, called on attendees to recognize the persistence of child labor around the world today. “We, the children, will continue to fight for our rights. ,” she said. “We look forward to the conference and to showing the world our ability to articulate our views, which are indeed solution-focused.”
Numerous Honor spokespersons used their voices on the subject at hand. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi, who attended the first conference in 1996, commented on the importance of holding the conference in "Nelson Mandela's land." He pointed out that the number of children in child labor has increased in recent years.
In fact, 160 million children are in child labor today, according to the latest ILO estimates.
"This is a challenge for us," he said. “And we have accepted it. Only collective and affirmed action can protect the children who are the foundation of our future.”
“Africa is an incubator of approaches to tackling child labor that the rest of the world can learn from and benefit from,” he said. "And this is the right time, because the global child labor movement has received a wake-up call."
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa invited all attendees to adopt the Durban Call to Action, the forthcoming document that will detail the practical steps that need to be taken to make a difference for children. It will be announced at the end of the conference.
“They are denied the opportunity to be learners, to be explorers, to have the opportunity to play, to just be children,” he said of children in child labour.
"Child labor perpetuates the cycle of poverty, denying young people the education they need to improve their circumstances."
He also noted that the South African Constitution establishes the right of children to be protected from ill-treatment, neglect or abuse. South Africa is also a signatory to the ILO convention on the worst forms of child labour.
Later that day, attendees heard from local children who used to work. They shared their powerful and emotional stories, which included experiences of physical and emotional abuse.
At the end of the day, Leymah Roberta Gbowee, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder and current President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation for Africa (GPFA), spoke candidly about her continent as a whole.
“When the lights and cameras go down, there is no sustained action,” he said. “Corruption in government is one of the main drivers of child labour. It is time for our continent to come together and make real change.”
Throughout the week, panels and discussions will be held to accelerate action to end child labour.
Follow online: www.5thchildlabourconf.org
See the agenda for the next day: https://bit.ly/3wiez8H
On May 5, the #RaiseYourHandForKids campaign took off on social media for the 5th World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour.
Thousands of people and organizations from dozens of countries have already joined the challenge as of May 11, raising their hands to make a difference for children.
Anyone in the world can join by posting to their personal social media accounts.
Guidelines for joining the challenge are available here (https://bit.ly/3w8ZJB2) and include the following steps:
Draw a big smiley face in the palm of your hand. Ask someone to take a picture of you or take a selfie with your hand up. Post it on social media, add the hashtag #RaiseYourHandForKids and tag 3 friends.Some of the notable participants so far include ministers and government officials from South Africa to the Philippines to Trinidad and Tobago; senior officials from the ILO, the United Nations Secretariat, UNICEF and many other international agencies; NGOs, including organizations in Colombia, Tunisia and Uganda; and social partners from Switzerland to South Africa.
The 5th World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor calls on individuals, organizations and celebrities to join the challenge.
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3wajLv7
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3syjpw8
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3styvD2
Facebook: https://bit.ly/38rgONx
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3FJr7Zu
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3MiQlkg
The event will take place May 15-20 at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Center (ICC) Complex in Durban, South Africa.
More information at https://bit.ly/3FJC7Gh
The Minister of Employment and Labor, Thulas Nxesi, formally opened the 5th World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, which will take place from May 15 to 20 in South Africa to help find solutions for the elimination of child labour.
“Therefore, the time is right for the global community to converge on African soil to find solutions that help our continent, in particular, deal with the higher reported prevalence and increased number of working children,” Nxesi said. Furthermore, in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Department of Employment and Labor will host the conference for the first time on African soil.
The conference will take place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Center (ICC) in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to open the conference. He will share the stage with the President of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and President of the Republic of Malawi, Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the Director General of the ILO, Guy Ryder, and the President of Argentina, Alberto Ángel Fernández Pérez (virtual ).
The Conference will be attended by ILO constituents, international and regional organizations, civil society organizations, research institutions, foundations, individual experts and Nobel laureates.
“After the devastating natural disaster that hit KwaZulu-Natal and Durban in recent weeks, it is important that we go ahead and hold the Conference in eThekwini as a show of support and solidarity with the people of the province and the Republic of South Africa. . As part of this show of solidarity, the organizers of the conference made the decision to dispense with the usual social acts that characterize these events”, said the Minister.
According to the International Labor Organization, more than 160 million children remain in child labor worldwide. More than a third of them are out of school. Agriculture is said to be the sector that accounts for the most child labor worldwide.
The 5th World Conference on the Elimination of Child Labor will take place amid the COVID-19 pandemic that threatens to reverse years of progress. More than 4,000 delegates, half of whom will attend in person to discuss good practice, identify gaps and urgent action needed to help children in child labour.
The ILO conference is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 (SDG) and the International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC), which focuses on the elimination of child labor in all its forms by 2025 and the eradication of forced labour, modern slavery. and human trafficking by 2030.
Sustainable Development Goals, calls on everyone to take immediate and effective action to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of all forms of child labor as an essential step in achieving decent, fulfilling and productive work for all. employment and inclusive and sustained economic growth.
The ILO describes the term “child labour” as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is detrimental to physical and mental development. Refers to work that: is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and/or interferes with their schooling.
The director general of the Employment and Labor Department, Thobile Lamati, said that a total of 943 delegates had already confirmed their attendance. He said the conference will focus on issues related to education, crises and climate change, social protection, youth employment, finance, agriculture, the supply chain and inequality.
“In essence, the conference is a call to action to eradicate child labour. We don't want this to be talk. We will work with the ILO to produce a daily final document,” Lamati said.
ILO Director in South Africa, Joni Musabayana, said that Africa bore the greatest burden of child labor in the world and that the conference had to find solutions to address the key factors. Musabayana said the Durban conference would provide a critical platform to review the progress made since previous conferences.
Nxesi said the conference will close with the adoption of the Durban Call to Action. The Durban Call to Action on the elimination of child labor aims to forge a renewed and accelerated commitment among governments and other stakeholders towards the elimination of child labor by 2025.
With only three years to go until 2025, many hurdles remain to be overcome, and the Call to Action aims to catalyze national efforts through concrete actions coupled with monitoring indicators on child labor to accelerate and track progress towards achievement of that goal. . (https://www.5thchildlabourconf.org/en)
The UN's International Labor Organization (ILO) highlighted on Thursday how important dialogue between workers and management is for the global post-pandemic recovery and for maintaining fair wages for people.
ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said voluntary negotiations known as collective bargaining had proven their worth after two years of COVID-19 lockdowns.
“Workers want to keep their heads above water as prices go up, as they are doing now, and they want to ensure workplace safety and secure paid sick leave that has been so critical in the last two years. .
“The employers, for their part, have accepted agreements that have allowed them to retain qualified and experienced workers, so that they can restart, recover and rebound.
“The higher the percentage of employees covered by collective agreements, the lower the wage inequality. And there is likely to be more equality and diversity in the workplace,” he told reporters in Geneva.
According to a new report from the UN agency, more than one in three employees in 98 countries currently have their wages, working hours and other professional conditions established by collective agreements.
But there is considerable variation between countries, the ILO said, ranging from more than 75 per cent of workers who have a collective agreement in many European countries and Uruguay, to less than 25 per cent in about half of the countries where data is available.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 ILO Social Dialogue Report indicated that collective agreements had helped protect people's jobs and incomes.
“Collective bargaining has played a crucial role during the pandemic in building resilience by protecting workers and businesses, ensuring business continuity, and saving jobs and profits,”
Ryder noted that the joint agreements also helped allay the concerns of millions of workers by boosting occupational safety and health in the workplace, along with paid sick leave and health care benefits.
“Flexible work arrangements and leave provisions were negotiated so that workers, particularly women, could balance work with additional caregiving responsibilities related to school closures or sick family members.
“And temporary workers had their contracts extended or made permanent so they could keep their earnings,” he said.
According to him, after two years of workplace turmoil caused by the coronavirus, post-pandemic collective agreements have now evolved to reflect the new realities of working from home and other “hybrid” work practices.
“The agreements are already focusing on agreeing on equal opportunities, the integration of face-to-face and remote work practices and re-regulating working time for a right to disconnect.
“Furthermore, address the shared concerns of workers and employers about cybersecurity and data privacy,” he said, calling on more countries to embrace dialogue between workers' organizations and employers.
“There are very good reasons to strengthen the institutions that facilitate collective bargaining,” he said. (www.nannews.ng)
(NAN)
The Federal Government says it is committed to fostering collective approach to build a positive safety and healthy culture at work place that would promote national development.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, made the call at the commemoration of the 2022 World Day for Safety and Health at work on Thursday in Abuja with the theme: “Act Together To Build A Positive Safety And Health culture’’.
Keyamo, represented by Dr John Magbado, the Director overseeing Office of the Permanent Secretary, said government was taking proactive steps towards achieving a safe and healthy environment at workplace.
According to him, this is through national programmes, legislations and collective agreement on Occupational Safety and Health, in line with the International Labour Organisation(ILO) decent work agenda. .
“Nigeria as a member state of the ILO has since 2004, joined in the annual awareness –raising campaign of safety and health.
“This is intended to focus the attention of the populace on the magnitude of work related accidents, injuries, diseases and deaths.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen that having a strong Occupational Safety and Health system was very apt.
“We saw meaningful participation of government, employers, workers, public health actors, among others that are crucial in protecting working environment and safeguarding the safety and health of workers, ’’he said.
He, however, said there was need for continuous collaboration and co-operation of all stakeholders across all sector to ensure that highest level of safety, health and wellbeing of all workers in the country.
The ILO Country Director to Nigeria, Ms Vanessa Phala, said trhat no fewer than 2.9 million workers died yearly due to occupational accidents and diseases, while 402m people suffer from non-fatal occupational injuries.
Phala, represented by Dr Runo Onosode, also said that the occupational risk factor with the largest number of deaths is attributed to exposure to long working hours following to particular matter, gases and fumes.
According to her, not only do occupational injuries and illness cause immeasurable human suffering to victims and their families, they also entail economic loses.
She added that over the years the ILO has shown its commitment to supporting safe work environment in Nigeria by providing both technical and financial support to the Nigerian government and its social partners.
“The ILO supported the Federal Government develop its first national OSH profile and thereafter supported the government revise its national OSH policy which is been launched today by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“ The ILO also supported a technical dialogue on a number of labour bills currently been developed including the occupational health and safety bill.
“The International Labour Standards along with relevant laws and policies would give impetus to the promotion of safety at work to ensure that workers are adequately protected, ’’she said.
The ILO boss, therefore, called on the government to safeguard the lives of the workers by building better resilient national and state occupational safety and health policies and programmes.
Also, Mrs Lauretta Nneka, Director, Factories of the Federation, Occupational Safety and Health in the ministry, said that safeguarding the occupational safety and health of the national labour force, had been a major statutory responsibility of the ministry.
She said the ministry had continue to discharge its responsibility through vigorous enforcement of factories Act and its subsidiaries regulation, and host of other strategies aimed at promoting safety, health and wellbeing of persons at work.
“The theme of 2022 celebration is apt; at the workplace level, a strong occupational safety and health culture is one in which the right to safe and health working environment is valued and promoted by both managers and workers ,’’she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that in raising awareness for the commemoration of the day, a rally and road show as well as medical outreach were held in Kugbo Funiture Market.(
(NAN)
Between April 18 and 19, around 45 parliamentarians from the Republic of Mozambique participated in an advocacy activity carried out by the Civil Society Platform on Social Protection with the support of the European Union and the ILO. This activity aimed to sensitize legislators on key government interventions in the area of social protection, particularly on the basic social security programs administered by the National Institute of Social Action (INAS).
On the first day, the parliamentarians visited the rural district of Chokwè, Gaza province, where they were received by the local government and had the opportunity to learn more about the deployment of the "Direct Social Support Program - Post Emergency (PASD-PE) COVID -19” through discussions with local authorities and exchanges with beneficiaries about the impact of the program on their lives.
The next day, the legislators began their work by visiting the Chamanculo neighborhood center in Maputo, where they interacted with the beneficiaries of that district to understand how the benefit provided by INAS helped them face the challenges that the pandemic brought to their livelihoods. . After this session, the Parliamentarians met at the INAS facilities, where they were received by the INAS National Deputy Director and were given an institutional tour, including the operation of e-INAS, the management information system for non-contributory social protection that was developed with the support of the ILO. Subsequently, a technical section was held, where the participants discussed the progress in the implementation of the program, the existing challenges and the opportunities to strengthen the social protection system.
The ILO contributed to the discussions by making a presentation on the importance of expanding fiscal space for social protection, highlighting the need for greater investment in social protection as a way to achieve the Government's commitments in line with the National Basic Social Security Strategy. , reduce poverty and vulnerability, support the development of human capital, as well as economic development.
Chinese lawmakers announced Wednesday that they had ratified two international conventions against forced labor, months after United Nations experts raised concerns about the country's treatment of ethnic and religious minorities, particularly in the Xinjiang region.
Beijing's approvals come as the country faces allegations of widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang, including forced labour.
Human rights groups estimate that at least a million Uyghurs and other Turkish Muslim minorities have been imprisoned in "re-education camps" there, accusations Beijing strongly rejects.
Officials maintain that the camps are vocational training centers designed to reduce the appeal of Islamic extremism.
London and Washington have been among vocal critics of China's treatment of minorities in Xinjiang, with the US State Department previously calling on China to "end its genocide and crimes against humanity" in the region.
On Wednesday, China's top legislature approved the ratification of the International Labor Organization's Forced Labor Convention as well as the Abolition of Forced Labor Convention, according to official announcements posted on the National People's Congress website.
Labor rights have been a tense issue in China, with a committee of 20 experts appointed by the ILO, a UN agency, criticizing China in its annual report published in February.
The group expressed “deep concern” after assessing the treatment of minorities and weighed in on allegations in late 2020 that Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities were systematically forced to work in agriculture.
The expert committee called on Beijing to reorient "the mandate of vocational education and training centers from political re-education based on administrative detention."
China has lashed out at the forced labor accusations as false and politically motivated.
Members that ratify the two conventions are obliged to suppress and not use any form of forced or compulsory labor, according to information on the ILO website.
They should also take steps to ensure the "immediate and complete abolition" of such work.
Beijing had previously been asked to provide detailed information on the steps it was taking to ensure that activities in Xinjiang's vocational training centers were in line with China's international obligations.
The country is also expecting a visit from UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet in May, in a long-overdue visit that includes a trip to Xinjiang.
There have long been calls for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Xinjiang and publish his office's findings.
Last year, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to reject any consideration of a major investment pact between the European Union and China, as long as Chinese sanctions against MEPs and academics were upheld.
The EU had sanctioned four Chinese officials for alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang, and China responded by imposing its own sanctions against European politicians, academics and research groups.
Beekeeping has been an alternative agricultural activity in Garissa County for many years, but honey production was mostly limited to local consumption and only surplus was offered for sale on the market.
During COVID-19, the demand for honey skyrocketed as it was used as the main ingredient in dawa, a hot drink consisting of honey, ginger and lemon, popularly consumed to relieve symptoms such as cold and cough. The increased demand led to higher prices and this made local farmers realize the value that honey could add to their income.
“The county has huge untapped potential to expand beekeeping and honey production. Although production is still on a small scale, it was noted that a significant number of herders are adopting beekeeping,” explains Lilyanne Velo, National Program Coordinator for Business Development, ILO PROSPECTS Kenya.
Garissa County, which is a Largely Arid and Semi-Arid Area (SALA), has suffered from increased desertification and rangeland depletion due to adverse weather conditions and overgrazing. This has affected herding communities that depend mainly on income from livestock. “The beekeeping value chain has the potential to generate alternatives to cover some of these losses. It can create livelihoods for vulnerable groups of women and youth who cannot get started in nomadic herding,” adds Lilyanne.
In December 2021, ILO PROSPECTS Kenya with its implementing partner, the Somali Lifeline Organization (SOLO), organized a week-long Training of Trainers (ToT) for four beekeepers from Garissa Township, Fafi and Dadaab sub-counties, in partnership with the World Food Program and International Agricultural Cooperative Development/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (CIDA/VOCA). The training was designed to improve the skills of farmer group leaders who could then provide technical support to their peers. It also aimed to formalize a county beekeepers association to support the voice of value chain actors.
“In the past, honey was produced in a traditional way and marketed for health reasons. To realistically empower beekeepers, current production methods needed to be merged with modern farming and production skills that provide more value to farmers. Therefore, we include apiary management, honey collection, packaging and marketing in the training,” says Joel Asiago, SOLO program advisor.
Strengthening existing groups
The ToT focused on leaders of existing groups, especially women. Ms. Rukia Mohammed Afey, leader of Ikip Farm, a women's group formed in 1999 for divorced and single mothers in Garissa township, was one of the trainees. The group had bought a 15-acre farm to grow vegetables and started beekeeping in 2000 to increase their income.
Rukia explains: “We are about 15 women and farms go through good and bad times. We needed additional income to support our children's education and were looking for ideas. We started with beekeeping, but there were many things we didn't know about it. However, after the training we were very happy as it helped us to increase our honey production by almost 20 litres. The training also helped us commercially, as we sold the honey for 700 Kenyan shillings. [around US $7] a liter. With more production we could have better income for the farm and the vulnerable members of our group could have more honey to use.
“Mr. Ahmed Salat, another trainee and member of Rahma Group Farm, which produces vegetables, raises cattle and grows fodder, says: “The group was formed in 2007, started beekeeping in 2018 and currently has three apiaries . With the training I can now encourage my farm members to develop more of them. We are witnessing an improvement in our honey collection. In January we harvest about 50 kilos and, as February comes to an end, we expect another good harvest,” says Ahmed.
Mitigate challenges through capacity building
A market assessment conducted by SOLO between October and November 2021, identified lack of knowledge of the beekeeping process, lack of equipment, bee migration due to increased pesticide use, and theft as some of the main challenges faced by beekeepers. beekeepers in the region.
Rukia says, “That training addressed exactly the challenges we faced. Now we have the correct hives. She has three layers, one where the queen sits, another where the honey is removed, and another where the workers sit. We had no idea of the hierarchy! We used to see everything get mixed up and then we used to cut and remove everything from the hive, killing our bees.”
Rukia and her team managed to correct their mistakes in the next crop with better results. Comprehensive skills training provided participants with a better understanding of managing their apiaries and they even received the proper equipment such as protective clothing to ensure safety.
“The training was eye-opening. We were not aware of the harvest cycle. By destroying the honeycombs, we were delaying the process. Comb maintenance techniques have speeded up the harvest cycle. After the training, I bought a centrifuge to process my honey and now it only takes two to three months to harvest, unlike before when it took around six months. So I hope my harvest now is every three months,” says Ahmed.
Bustan Self Help Group, chaired by Mr. Omar Salim Mohammed, started beekeeping in 2013 on his 300-acre farm in Dadaab sub-county. After having participated in the beekeeping training, Omar further trained his group on hive management, hive establishment, and extraction and inspection, and this has already been put into practice.
Omar shares: “Beekeeping is much easier than crop production and requires less input. Honey has a longer shelf life and brings good income. When we went to the training, we assumed that we knew a lot about beekeeping and beekeeping, but we soon found out that this was not the case. We lost details and we lacked experience and now we operate according to what we have learned. After the training, we even started planting flowers around the apiary so that the bees do not go to distant crops.”
With the training provided, the participants foresee a large future production of honey in Garissa. The county government estimates that if fully exploited, the beekeeping industry can generate revenues in excess of 30 million KSH (approximately US$260,000) per year.
Ahmed is confident that the apiary can be expanded and improved and that they can produce better quality products than the other counties. “Our people have not yet realized the opportunity that exists. It is my responsibility to set an example for others, to train others,” he says.
In its recommendations, the ILO market assessment notes that providing existing groups with new and innovative production and marketing methods, providing technical advice on market linkages and strengthening links between producers and consumers will strengthen the beekeeping value chain. in the country.
ILO PROSPECTS now plans to work with the Garissa County government, implementing partners and other stakeholders to provide dedicated market system development support. In the long term, this small livelihood idea is expected to grow into a major economic and business opportunity throughout the county.
