Wednesday 24 / April / 2024
Muscat: The Office of the Food and Agriculture Organisation in the Sultanate of Oman has praised the efforts made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in partnership with the private sector for beekeeping and for implementing programmes to improve its quality.
On the occasion of the celebration of World Bee Day, which falls on May 20 annually under the slogan "We are committed to protecting bees: Celebrating the diversity of bees and their breeding systems", the UN office explained that the cooperation of the Oman's Ministry, the Oman Indian Fertilizer Company (OMIFCO), and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority has helped in strengthening the honey project and enhanced the capabilities of rural beekeepers by adopting modern technologies.
The ongoing project includes various activities that are implemented mainly in the governorates of Al Dakhiliyah and North Al Sharqiyah with the aim of enhancing the capabilities of small and medium-sized companies in beekeeping in a sustainable and economic manner, strengthening the sector, and enhancing the level of knowledge and awareness of good beekeeping practices in the Sultanate of Oman.
The UN office pointed out that beekeeping contributes to achieving many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and everyone has a role to play in improving the quality of bees.
The profession of beekeeping is an important part of rural life around the world rather than just a hobby. On a small scale, they contribute significantly to strengthening rural communities and securing livelihoods.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources stated that it pays special attention to the development of beekeeping through the implementation of many research, extension and development programmes and projects in all the wilayats of the Sultanate. The International Day designated by the United Nations came with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of bees and pollinators and highlighting their contribution to sustainable development and the threats they face.
The ultimate goal of establishing this day is to strengthen measures to protect bees and other pollinators, which will greatly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eradicating hunger in developing countries.
Besides their role as wild pollinators, bees play a key role in maintaining biodiversity, promoting sustainability and adapting to climate change, and about 75 percent of the crops that produce fruit and seeds for human consumption in the world partially depend on pollinators for sustainable production.
