Honey is one of the rarest yet most sought after food product because beekeeping is still a developing industry in our country. The beekeeping industry started decades ago. However, according to local beekeepers, the development of this industry is slow because no agency would spearhead it.

This hindrance did not affect the different beekeepers in the country to form their own groups like the Beekeepers Association of the Philippines as well as the Cordillera Beekeepers Federation (CBF).

During the press launching of the 7th National Beekeepers Convention at the Saint Louis University last Thursday, different private and government agencies showed their support to the beekeeping industry. 

This will be made more evident with the Beekeepers Convention to be held on Oct. 23 to 25 with the theme “Beekeeping: Key to food security and environmental preservation.”

As support from the Department of Labor and Employment, regional director Ana Dione said since encountering some beekeeper-farmers in   December 2006, the agency has helped evaluate seven groups who wanted to form a federation of beekeepers — now called the CBF. DOLE helped assist CBF members through financial grants.

Patricio Ananayo, chief of the Agriculture Marketing Assistance Division of Department of Agriculture, said that bees have good potential for fruit growing farms as they are important for the pollination process. He said that “beekeeping is a major intervention [for good produce of fruit-growing trees].” He added that this would further be developed through the good relationship between fruit-growers and beekeepers.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources science research specialist Marylou Andrada said that in order for an agricultural livelihood to be fully recognized as a source of production, it should be registered first with the accreditation under the Forest Management Services of the DENR to secure the safety of the livelihood to the environment. This is where DENR comes in the beekeeping industry by acting as scientific experts.

On the part of the private sector, dean Reynaldo Bautista of the SLU College of Accountancy and Commerce said that they will help in the marketing techniques for the promotion of bee by-products. He said that together with the partnerships with other sectors, they provide initial colonies for beekeepers, and training in handling the proper beekeeping livelihood.

Also, Dr. Gaudelia Reyes, dean of the SLU Department of Natural Sciences, said that they are currently doing a research on beekeeping.