Just over 20 Grenadian students who participated in the Iyanola Online and In-Person Apiculture and Beekeeping Training in the Caribbean and Samoa received their certificates at a ceremony at Adult & Teen Challenge (ATC) Campus at Good Hope on Tuesday afternoon.
The south-south project in Apiculture, funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme of the UNDP, involved participants from Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa in the Pacific, and Trinidad and Tobago.
In an address, Richard Matthias, President of the Iyanola Apiculture Collective in St Lucia and one of the coordinators of the project, told participants he saw evidence that the Apiculture subsector on the island is “on the up” with good potential for increasing honey production, representing the unique flavour of the Grenadian product.
“The apiculture industry and beekeeping in the Caribbean is going through a transition where a lot of people see opportunities for making money, but they are not ready or prepared to put in the hard work. In this sector, you get back what you put in,” he said, while calling on the policymakers to be realistic about the industry in their decision-making.
He noted the importance of beekeepers working together to share expertise, experiences and knowledge in support of the development of an industry that has the potential to provide economic benefits to the farmer, as well as the national economy. “It’s very important that we understand and visualise the difference we can make in our lives and the lives of those around us,” he told the ceremony, noting the important role the sector plays in maintaining the natural biodiversity, strengthening agricultural production and supporting the island’s cultural identity.
Don-Rae Wilkinson, Head of the Apiculture arm of ATC Grenada, expressed the organisation’s appreciation to GEF Small Grants Programme for their support to the development of the sector at a time when the focus is on self-employment and increasing opportunities for youths and women in economic development. “The success of this project is already evident, given the number of young people and women who registered and have completed the course and are now positioned to start their own apiary, which some have already done, and increase their income,” he said.
Wilkinson praised the work of the national mentor Andy Paul, who has been a key part of the practical training for participants by providing hands-on support, including the freedom with which he shared information.
