by Kingseyi Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:34 pmABUJA- THE Federal Government, Thursday,
lamented the country’s poor participation in the
international bee industry despite its potential to
generate huge foreign exchange.
This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh,
during the official flag-off ceremony of ‘ApiExpo
Africa 2018’ in Abuja.
Ogbeh said the conference coming up in
September 2018 is extremely strategic, which
will help position the bee farming for rapid
development and growth towards boosting the
agricultural sector.
He said: “This launching we did is sensitization
of state governments, private sector groups and
preparation of the conference. We do some
funding. What we concentrate on is awareness at
the level of states. States have also a role to
play in all we do in terms of mobilization their
ministries of agriculture.
“The conference coming up in September 2018
is extremely strategic. If we leave here and place
importance to the bees and not just the honey
but they help us pollinate our crops, I have
heard that people rent bees from one farm to
another to pollinate, even they rent bees across
continents now.
“It is a bit embarrassing that Nigeria is being
listed low among the nations participating in this
industry, and embarrassing to the point not too
difficult to explain. Once we find oil and gas we
lost our memory for agriculture.
“Do not forget that in the first republic Nigeria
alone accounts for 40 per cent of the world’s
output of palm oil, today we import. We were
number one in groundnut, number two in cocoa,
but we are gone. But do not lose hope we are
coming back we have no choice.”
He also promised that the federal government
will support the conference financially and
materially. He further stated that bee farmers
will also be assisted.
Speaking on the importance of the conference,
the Head of Agriculture Division, Economic
States of West Africa, ECOWAS, Ernest Aubee,
said the commission will intervene in some
important areas.
“ECOWAS is ready to promote bee keeping in
Nigeria and the rest of the other 15 member
states. We will continue to provide assistance
for the conference as it is the first of its kind in
West Africa.
“In replicating apiculture system in Nigeria, what
we intend to do is to look at the best practices
Nigeria has and document them, and share
those best practices with other ECOWAS
member states.
“Also we have big agricultural research project.
We can bring in bee farmers and experts to
come into Nigeria and learn some of the best
practices because Nigeria has been designated
as Centre of Excellence for aquaculture, fisheries
and apiculture. On funding we will consider
having a fund for apiculture”, Aubee stated.
In his good will message, the Executive Director
and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Export
Promotion Council, NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo,
represented by a director from the council,
disclosed that Nigeria by 2019 will export bee
products to the European Union, EU, member
countries.
lamented the country’s poor participation in the
international bee industry despite its potential to
generate huge foreign exchange.
This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh,
during the official flag-off ceremony of ‘ApiExpo
Africa 2018’ in Abuja.
Ogbeh said the conference coming up in
September 2018 is extremely strategic, which
will help position the bee farming for rapid
development and growth towards boosting the
agricultural sector.
He said: “This launching we did is sensitization
of state governments, private sector groups and
preparation of the conference. We do some
funding. What we concentrate on is awareness at
the level of states. States have also a role to
play in all we do in terms of mobilization their
ministries of agriculture.
“The conference coming up in September 2018
is extremely strategic. If we leave here and place
importance to the bees and not just the honey
but they help us pollinate our crops, I have
heard that people rent bees from one farm to
another to pollinate, even they rent bees across
continents now.
“It is a bit embarrassing that Nigeria is being
listed low among the nations participating in this
industry, and embarrassing to the point not too
difficult to explain. Once we find oil and gas we
lost our memory for agriculture.
“Do not forget that in the first republic Nigeria
alone accounts for 40 per cent of the world’s
output of palm oil, today we import. We were
number one in groundnut, number two in cocoa,
but we are gone. But do not lose hope we are
coming back we have no choice.”
He also promised that the federal government
will support the conference financially and
materially. He further stated that bee farmers
will also be assisted.
Speaking on the importance of the conference,
the Head of Agriculture Division, Economic
States of West Africa, ECOWAS, Ernest Aubee,
said the commission will intervene in some
important areas.
“ECOWAS is ready to promote bee keeping in
Nigeria and the rest of the other 15 member
states. We will continue to provide assistance
for the conference as it is the first of its kind in
West Africa.
“In replicating apiculture system in Nigeria, what
we intend to do is to look at the best practices
Nigeria has and document them, and share
those best practices with other ECOWAS
member states.
“Also we have big agricultural research project.
We can bring in bee farmers and experts to
come into Nigeria and learn some of the best
practices because Nigeria has been designated
as Centre of Excellence for aquaculture, fisheries
and apiculture. On funding we will consider
having a fund for apiculture”, Aubee stated.
In his good will message, the Executive Director
and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Export
Promotion Council, NEPC, Olusegun Awolowo,
represented by a director from the council,
disclosed that Nigeria by 2019 will export bee
products to the European Union, EU, member
countries.
